ok, I have a slight problem, I was wondering if anyone has experianced the same, or knows a fix...

cars out of warrenty now, so wanna try to fix myself...

Last three days since it started being -3 to -8 at night up here, when I get in the car in the morning, the gear lever is frozen. i.e. very stiff, spring doesn't work ect. the gears engage fine, but very stiff.... after only for or five changes, the lever frees up to "normal" feels like new again..... I would assume, the linkages aquire water or moisture at some point and then freeze, but I'm not sure what I would do about htis!

Any ideas? Thanks in advance....

Edited 19 December, 200916 yr by sharkrider

Hmm, nasty. Some of the stiff changes cold be the oil warming up. Mine is 'clunky' and stiff for a short while on these cold mornings. Presume it could be water freezing that's stopping the spring etc. But I'm no mechanic...lol

yeah, mine has the 'normal' more clunky change when cold, but this is not just when engaging gears, first time it happened I had left the car in second overnight, stiff pull to get it out of secon, then couldn't even tell where neutral was, and had to really pull to get it accross neutral, but with literally 5 changes it was free as new!

and no, you're not a mechanic, you're a super hero!

lol, But a super hero who's cheesed off as I can't polish and wax the car today, and it's minging.... :'( if fact is about as clean as yours....

I have this.

I'm told it's due to water getting inside the "sheaths" that the gear selection cables run through, and then freezing overnight.

Under warranty, my dealer sorted out the alignment of the selection cables on the gearbox, so the gear change feel is pretty good, but they - for some reason - refuse to replace the cables to solve the stiffness problem, despite being able to tell me exactly what is causing it.

Edited 19 December, 200916 yr by dxg

I have this.

I'm told it's due to water getting inside the "sheaths" that the gear selection cables run through, and then freezing overnight.

Under warranty, my dealer sorted out the alignment of the selection cables on the gearbox, so the gear change feel is pretty good, but they - for some reason - refuse to replace the cables to solve the stiffness problem, despite being able to tell me exactly what is causing it.

sounds like that could be it..... when I had the vRS on very cold nights the water in the handbrake cable sheaths would freeze, and cause the handbrake, to stick for a few miles, they said short of replacing the cables nothing could be done!, it could certainly be the case with the gear cables...... I need one of those pre-heater things available in scandanavian countries! lol....

...... I need one of those pre-heater things available in scandanavian countries! lol....

Got one, and it's quite nice, but it really only heats the engine (coolant) so gear box problems or frozen wires won' disappear... I've always put down a stiff gear stick at low temperatures to gearbox oil (and an oil change might help), but if there are wires in the gear shift mechanism they can of course freeze - I never leave the car with hand brake on over night in winter if it can be avoided.

If you let the car idle for a minute or so in neutral gear and clutch released (so that all cogs/shaft rotate), does that make anydifference? If not, ice somewhere in the gear shift mechanism seems to be a likely culprit.

used to have a tractor that had similer linkage problem - althought they were limkages to hydulic loader contols rather than gearbox, but sheathed linkage levers none the less. Solution was to set up a fan heater pointed at the offending area and set on a timer to come on about half an hour before I needed the tractor in themorning. Not very enviromentally friendly but at least the livestock got their breakfast!!!

Edited 19 December, 200916 yr by slider

Got one, and it's quite nice, but it really only heats the engine (coolant) so gear box problems or frozen wires won' disappear... I've always put down a stiff gear stick at low temperatures to gearbox oil (and an oil change might help), but if there are wires in the gear shift mechanism they can of course freeze - I never leave the car with hand brake on over night in winter if it can be avoided.

If you let the car idle for a minute or so in neutral gear and clutch released (so that all cogs/shaft rotate), does that make anydifference? If not, ice somewhere in the gear shift mechanism seems to be a likely culprit.

i have the same system here in the focus and my work truck. in temperatures below -25c my truck (diesel) has a cut out that won't start the engine until the block heater has been plugged in for at least an hour,

the gearstick won't move at all at those temperatures until the gearbox has at least 10 mins of idling time in it. the block heater in the focus is great, at -30 the other week one hours plug in resulted in the temp gauge showing half way to operating temp on the first turn of the key

Mark

Might be worth checking someone hasn't dropped a Viagra into the centre consul.

WD40 on the linkage, or sprayed up the sleeve should hopefully drive out the water and keep it out for a short while until you can get it sorted out to your satisfaction.

weirdly enough its stopped now... only thing I can think thats changed, is Ive parked my car away from the front door as the drive is too steep in the snow, and it hasn't done it since! we put the exhaust of the tumble drier through the catflap (about 2 feet from where my car is normally parked) wonder if the warm steam could have been flowing under the car and freezing? since I've parked it up by the barn, its been fine, but just as cold....

Thanks for the advice cheezemonkhai , and lol @ moggytech

The steam probably got up the linkage as droplets and then froze, which would explain the issue you were getting.

Glad you've got it sorted.

WD40 on the linkage, or sprayed up the sleeve should hopefully drive out the water and keep it out for a short while until you can get it sorted out to your satisfaction.

+1 was about to suggest get some water repelling penetrating fluid in there, GT85 would be my choice though im sure WD would do the job too

Word of warning spraying lubricant on sheathed cables, some sheathing can swell and clamp itself onto the cable. These are generally designed to be self lubricating and service free.

Chris