Drove over 400 miles up and down the M5 and all over Somerset/Devon last BH weekend during a mini-break. 

To say the Superb is a motorway cruiser is a massive understatement, complete joy to drive. The mpg was also fantastic!

However, after stopping at the entrance to the holiday park after 150 miles for 10 minutes while we booked in, with the engine running, I couldn’t engage 1st or 2nd gear. This also happened on the way back. I’ve noticed that if I select 3rd or reverse, the rest of the gears work okay. 
Gearbox has been very sticky this week during the commute to work and back. 
My last motor needed a new slave pump due to it leaking so was wondering if it could be that; I had a horrible Vauxhall and the gearbox died on me with 126,000 on the clock and that familiar whining sound under the bonnet I’ve convinced myself I can hear again on the Superb… with only 87,000 on the clock. 
Surely the gearbox should last at least twice as long? 
All feedback totally appreciated

Is it manual or the sealed for life auto (giggle)?

Have you ever changed the gearbox oil?

That would be a starting point (make sure you can undo the filler before you drain it! they are usually hex key type plugs possibly 17mm), will probably take approx 3 litres fill slowly till it starts to come back out the the hole (car level), see a Skoda or VW dealer for the correct spec oil and capacity, its not expensive.

 

Has the clutch been replaced? Clutch Slave, Master cylinder?

 

Not sure if its cable shift or rods on the Superb mine is auto, there could be a wear issue with them. Get on to ERWIN and pay for an hours access €7 you can download all the manuals in that time.

Edited 8 May, 20215 yr by gfinneran

Sorry, it’s a manual and recently had a service with all fluids replaced. 

10 hours ago, DiscoStoo said:

Sorry, it’s a manual and recently had a service with all fluids replaced. 

 

Which engine fitted?

 

Hmm, did they bleed brakes and clutch? Something disturbed - eg bleed nipple?

 

Is the mater cylinder reservoir still full? 

 

[EDIT] If clutch ok - engine mounts?

Edited 8 May, 20215 yr by bigjohn

Many, many thanks for the suggestions - as I can just about check the dipstick and change a wheel, I shall be asking my ‘new’ mechanic all these questions; I sacked off my old go-to guy whom I’ve known since 1982 after I worked out that mechanics are either lazy or don’t have the time to do the job properly. 
 

What’s worrying though is that the last thing he said to me is that most mechanics these days don’t touch clutches or gearboxes…

Update: my mechanic says he’s had a look at it and is 99.9% sure that it’s a linkage issue. I’m very relieved as the dreaded words ‘replacement dual mass flywheel clutch assembly’ were mentioned. I’m also told that once upon a time this little lot cost north of £900. 
He also mentioned that the gearboxes don’t break in the Superbs, although I have read some horror stories that contradict that on this forum. 

Change the gearbox oil ASAP too; it’s knackered on age if nothing else. I had it changed at 50 and 100k. Gearbox is still lovely and slippery and dead silent.