Hi, I own a 2003 Octavia estate 4 x 4 with 93k (kilometers) with no remapping or any mods.

Having returned home after normal morning use, where everything was ok, I parked the car for at least 5 hours. Later, this evening, I started the car for the usual kids afterschool run, where to my surprise, no gear would engage (the car was left in neutral). The cluch pedal had feel and pressure, but even after vigorous pumping, still no gear would engage. I did not try to force the lever to shift, but I did start the engine with the the lever in 1st, only to have the lever shivering (the lever does engage when the engine is turned off)..

I don't know what caused this malfunction, I guess it could be the pressure plate. I am confused as no previous signs where given off by the gearbox, or any other component.

My mechanic informed me that according to my description, things don;t sound good and detects that the cause is possibly related to something broken.

any help would be welcomed

Check the connection on top of the gear box in the enging bay just incase somethig has beome detached and is stopping the cables from moving

Shouldn't be gear linkage if you can engage gears, as said above, see if you can see anything broken, if not it's probably internal. If you have warrenty, use it. Hope it's just a temporary thing and nothing expensive!

Shouldn't be gear linkage if you can engage gears, as said above, see if you can see anything broken, if not it's probably internal. If you have warrenty, use it. Hope it's just a temporary thing and nothing expensive!

Only an idea as he can't put it in gear properly even when the engine's off

Only an idea as he can't put it in gear properly even when the engine's off

I assumed that if the linkage was broken or detatched there would be no feel in the gear stick at all

Had posts in the past where the secondary air pump hose had come away from the airbox and blocked the linkage (think it was that hose, but something came away and blocked it)

Had posts in the past where the secondary air pump hose had come away from the airbox and blocked the linkage (think it was that hose, but something came away and blocked it)

Thanks for all the replies and for your kind help,

I just started the engine and after warming it I noticed the following:

- no gear will engage , as the engine is running, from neutral (same as yesterday)

- all gears (1st reluctantly) engage when engine is switched off

- close observation in the engine bay didn't reveal any broken pipes or undercar fluid leakage

Most importantly, every time I switched on the engine, after a few revolutions of the starter motor and as the engine first comes into life, a small gear crunching sound (something between a stuck starter motor gear pinion and a noise made from selecting a gear without pressing the clutch, only not so intense / loud.) This noise comes on for a second, not to be heard again, as the engine is running. Every time I switch on the engine, this noise is heard once and for only 1-2 seconds.

I figure this small gear grinding noise, is related to the cause of this persisting gearbox problem.

I hope this information helps

thanks again

Would that be the ring gear on the starter/flywheel?

Maybe a collapsed syncismesh on first? Could jam the box?

Could be syncro. Get it to a garage for observation mate

If all the gears are engaging when the engine is off, then the linkage should be OK.

I've just solved the issue on mine where 3rd/4th could be hard to get into when driving, the clutch and flywheel were shot, really shot! The fibre disk section of the clutch was partially free to move with in the assembly.

Don't these cars have a hydraulic clutch, if that was faulty would that not prevent the clutch from working, preventing gear change when the engine was running? I guess that would use the same supply as the brakes, so has there been a drop in level there?

Tom

thanks for all the valuable input,

today took the car to the garage, where the mechanic put 1st, started the engine, (like trying to unstuck a stater motor) and presto..gearbox engages perfectly, as before. According to his opinion, the pressure plate was stuck??..

Anyway, thing is that it works fine (for now)

thanks again

thanks for all the valuable input,

today took the car to the garage, where the mechanic put 1st, started the engine, (like trying to unstuck a stater motor) and presto..gearbox engages perfectly, as before. According to his opinion, the pressure plate was stuck??..

Anyway, thing is that it works fine (for now)

thanks again

Good news glad it wasn't something expensive or awkward. Hope it stays fixed