Hmmm... the gearbox doesn't work anymore.

mrthingyx · 27 Feb 2008 at 20:14

Just a quick query for thos car-fluent people here!

As I was changing into first gear to pull onto my drive this evening, the gearbox suddenly went very loose/slack and would no longer select any gear (other than what felt like third).

It feels as though the selector has gone as it goes sideways from 1st-5th positions without any notches, if that makes any sense.

Has anybody had any experience of this or any idea what I've done? And the second question, is it likely to cost body parts?

Thanks for any help!

DannyW · 27 Feb 2008 at 20:15

is it a vw?

kaiowas · 27 Feb 2008 at 20:17

Definitely sounds like something has broken inbetween the lever and the selector. How expensive/difficult it is to sort depends on exactly what has broken.

First job is to find the selectors in the engine bay and have someone try to select the gears whilst you look to see if the gearbox ends of both cables are still attached to everything. This should tell you whether it's something inside the gearbox itself or whether it's just the cable/lever etc.

InvaderGIR · 27 Feb 2008 at 23:15

I had my old 306 do this. One of the rods that connect the gearstick and the gearbox came off at the gearbox end, was a simple case of just reattaching it.

InvG

Lopéz · 28 Feb 2008 at 07:36

As the others have said, it sounds like you have popped off/broken part of the gear linkage. On most cars these are awkward to get to but relatively inexpensive to replace.

MarkDavis · 28 Feb 2008 at 08:27

Its just the gear selector cable (or sometimes the pin/clip that holds the gear selector cable in place) which has snapped. You don't say what car you have but the part won't be expensive, and probably an hour to fit depending on what car you have, so at a guess, £100-£200 inc parts/labour.

InvaderGIR · 28 Feb 2008 at 09:04

MarkDavis said:
Its just the gear selector cable (or sometimes the pin/clip that holds the gear selector cable in place) which has snapped. You don't say what car you have but the part won't be expensive, and probably an hour to fit depending on what car you have, so at a guess, £100-£200 inc parts/labour.

Depending on car, it could be rods not cables

Parts should be very cheap, and it shouldn't be too hard a job...if it's rods, I don't know about cable selecting systems.

InvG