Skoda Yeti will not change gear when engine is on

Quartz · 11 Sep 2021 at 14:58

I had my car - 63 reg diesel Skoda Yeti - serviced last week and haven't used it until today. Only to find that the car will not change geat when the engine is on. It will change gear when the engine is off and I've run through all the gears without problem. But when the engine is on the stick will not engage any gear - even reverse. I've tried starting the car in neutral, first, and reverse. I've tried starting the car in first and letting it move forward a car-length. I've tried starting the car in reverse and letting it move back a car-length.

The garage are closed.

What has happened? What do I do about it?

Firestar_3x · 11 Sep 2021 at 15:10

What service did it have and what did they do, main dealer?

Any fluid on the floor under the car, did they change the brake fluid?

Does the clutch pedal feel normal?

Quartz · 11 Sep 2021 at 15:36

Just a normal service and MOT. No fluid visible but it's been raining heavily so might have washed away. Clutch pedal feels normal. Oil was changed. Brake fluid was not changed.

gc123 · 11 Sep 2021 at 16:55

sounds unlucky but a fault with the clutch, does it move forward at all when engaged and then engine started? if it does could try it a few times to see if it will free off otherwise will need further investigation.
may have read your post wrong but if you put it in gear and your foot hard down on the clutch when starting does the car still try to move ? if so its a clutch fault maybe (not sure if they have one) self adjuster fault.

Quartz · 11 Sep 2021 at 17:07

Crisis over. I pumped the clutch pedal hard and let the engine oil get to temperature. I'm not sure which did the trick but it got into gear and I went to the supermarket and back. First and second gear no longer seem as smoth as they used to be.

Scania · 11 Sep 2021 at 18:15

Quartz said:
Crisis over. I pumped the clutch pedal hard and let the engine oil get to temperature. I'm not sure which did the trick but it got into gear and I went to the supermarket and back. First and second gear no longer seem as smoth as they used to be.

Crisis slowly developing I’d argue!

I had an old Ford Escort that did this from time to time and pumping the clutch pedal temporarily cured it, ultimately it failed completely at a set of lights and had to be recovered. Can’t remember what caused it perhaps the release bearing?

I’d get it back to the garage ASAP for further investigation before it leaves you stranded which it will.

I can’t see how a service and MOT would in any way cause this so wouldn’t particularly worry about the garages competency, just bad luck timing wise.

Quartz · 11 Sep 2021 at 18:21

Scania said:
Crisis slowly developing I’d argue!... I’d get it back to the garage ASAP for further investigation before it leaves you stranded which it will.

Noted.

Scania · 11 Sep 2021 at 18:27

Quartz said:
Noted.

Glad to hear it, basically this isn’t a temporary glitch that’ll go away, it’s the warning sign of a bigger problem coming down the road, literally!

Master cylinder or release bearing failing would be my guess, most likely the former I’d say.

nicRob · 11 Sep 2021 at 18:28

Working after pumping makes me think slave cylinder, but I wouldn't expect the clutch to feel normal before pumping pedal

Quartz · 11 Sep 2021 at 22:23

Scania said:
Glad to hear it, basically this isn’t a temporary glitch that’ll go away, it’s the warning sign of a bigger problem coming down the road, literally!

I went out to check something just now and the problem has returned.

Scania said:
Master cylinder or release bearing failing would be my guess, most likely the former I’d say.

How do I confirm that?

Quartz · 11 Sep 2021 at 22:37

Something else which may be relevant: the front panel display used to have a gear indicator. On my trip to the shops I noticed that it had gone, and I've not seen in the menus how to put it back.

Django x2 · 11 Sep 2021 at 23:00

A normal service and MOT at a Skoda dealer or Bobs backstreet garage? None of this sounds good. Without some serious changes, stuff like this doesn't just happen. I assume you got it back from the garage OK and it drove home fine?

Quartz · 12 Sep 2021 at 00:14

Django x2 said:
A normal service and MOT at a Skoda dealer or Bobs backstreet garage?

It was serviced at a dealer. The dealer collected and returned the car.

Scania · 12 Sep 2021 at 10:27

Quartz said:
I went out to check something just now and the problem has returned.

How do I confirm that?

I'd get it back to the dealer - or a trusted independent - for a diagnosis.

Quartz · 13 Sep 2021 at 21:37

Scania said:
I'd get it back to the dealer - or a trusted independent - for a diagnosis.

I had the car picked up today. The guy said it was likely a clutch cylinder. I just hope it's not too expensive.

jpaul · 13 Sep 2021 at 22:06

Interesting thread om yeti clutches -
hadn't realised brake fluid can be shared with clutch, too, so it can need bleedimg if they had done brakes in a service (not ops case)

andy_mk3 · 13 Sep 2021 at 22:14

Quartz said:
I had the car picked up today. The guy said it was likely a clutch cylinder. I just hope it's not too expensive.

It's most likely the slave cylinder, not likely to be cheap as it involves removing the gearbox. Plus it's silly not to replace the clutch and potentially the flywheel depending on condition while it's all apart.

jpaul said:
Interesting thread om yeti clutches -
hadn't realised brake fluid can be shared with clutch, too, so it can need bleedimg if they had done brakes in a service (not ops case)

That applies to a vast majority of cars with a hydraulic clutch, very few have a separate reservoir. Doing anything with the brakes has never led to needing to bleed the clutch in my 14 years of experience.

Quartz · 18 Sep 2021 at 16:17

Update time. Yes the clutch cylinder had gone. And I'm going to be £1000 poorer when I pay. They also wanted to replace the flywheel saying it has been contaminated but that's another £900 so they're just cleaning it

Quartz · 18 Sep 2021 at 16:27

And yes, I'm aware that the cost is excessive.

jpaul · 18 Sep 2021 at 16:42

must have crossed you mind, but, can they explain if it coincidental with the service ? like being agressive with the pedal/engagement.