Hi all,

I just started getting an strange problem with my gearbox (2002 1.4 MPI Fabia). When the car is cold, everything is fine, however after warming the car up and driving for 20 mins the gearbox seems to 'stiffen up'. It gets difficult to engage 1st and impossible to engage reverse. I have to wait for the engine (and gearbox oil?) to cool down before the gearbox feel normal again and I can engage reverse.

Should I check the gearbox oil levels and replace all the gearbox oil? It's on about 65k miles. There doesn't seem to be a leak of any kind. Or is this a cable adjustment problem or something else entirely.

Any pointers or recommendations gratefully received.

Thanks, Ian

Hi all,

I just started getting an strange problem with my gearbox (2002 1.4 MPI Fabia). When the car is cold, everything is fine, however after warming the car up and driving for 20 mins the gearbox seems to 'stiffen up'. It gets difficult to engage 1st and impossible to engage reverse. I have to wait for the engine (and gearbox oil?) to cool down before the gearbox feel normal again and I can engage reverse.

Should I check the gearbox oil levels and replace all the gearbox oil? It's on about 65k miles. There doesn't seem to be a leak of any kind. Or is this a cable adjustment problem or something else entirely.

Any pointers or recommendations gratefully received.

Thanks, Ian

Definitely check the gearbox oil level right away.

Not sure if clutch is operated by a slave clutch cylinder, and could be failing, check master cylinder fluid level.

Possible clutch failure if oil level's OK.

Could it still be related to the clutch if I can't even engage reverse after turning the engine off? The gear lever just feels like it's gooing up, so I'm hoping the gearbox oil has just degraded. I can still (with force) engage forward gears when it's like this.

Definitely check the gearbox oil level RIGHT AWAY...

+1