Hi all,

 

My partner has recently gotten a 63 plate citigo with 105000miles and we have noticed some (potential) issues with the gearbox/clutch (present since we got the vehicle)

 

When shifting down from 2nd to 1st, we get a grinding noise coming from the car and some resistance during the change before it slots in. This happens when switching down at any speed more than an absolute crawl (3 mph say). If we stay in 2nd at this speed the car is very juddery as if it wants us to shift down but the gears grind when we actually do. Sometimes it is also difficult to engage first and reverse from stationary but resetting the clutch usually fixes this. Is this something that is a serious problem or is this just a generic problem with the Skoda citigo? Additionally, will this cause rapid degradation to the gearbox as it happens virtually every time?

 

We don't have a problem when switching to or from any other gears.

 

I have heard many bad things about the gearbox in general (not having synchronised 1st and reverse gears?) but am yet to find any info about our specific problem so though I would ask. Thank you in advance for any help regarding this, it is greatly appreciated.

 

T

2 hours ago, THR said:

 

I have heard many bad things about the gearbox in general (not having synchronised 1st and reverse gears?)

I think you should ignore any further advice from whoever told you that 1st is not synchromesh (Reverse might not be, but when do you select reverse whilst moving?

 

Beyond that, I suspect that the gear linkage needs realigned.

 

Also, knowing your nationality is useful because not every nation's Skodas are the same specification, and neither are their consumer protection laws which may apply here.

Welcome.

?

How recent, time and miles, and bought from who, private or trader?

 

Was it not present when road testing the car only once you paid for it?

The time to say or do something was right away.

 

A 9 year old car with average miles over that time might well need a new clutch or attention to the gearbox. 

Maybe normal wear and tear from who ever and however many have driven the cars since new.

Edited 25 January, 20233 yr by toot

Hi all,

 

I wasn't sure about the synchro on first but I mentioned as I had seen it stated both ways from multiple people. The car was bought in England.

 

Regarding the purchase, it was bought from a dealer less than 2 weeks ago. We imagined the issue may have been user error as it's different to the car my partner learned in but after some reasonably well structured road testing we did, the problem is persistent so seems down to the mechanism rather than the user. The dealership has a partial warranty on clutch and gearbox but only covers 50% of the costs or repairs on these. We are still within our return period now but only just. 

Are you in the UK?

The dealership has to sell vehicles of merchantable quality.     If the clutch needs replacement then that is what it needs.

 

If you bought an old car from me then i want to be told right away there is an issue with a clutch or gearbox not over a week later.

 

But then if you bought from me it would be an automatic and if he gearbox was faulty it would be sold as such. 

Yes, in the UK. 

 

Ordinarily we likely would have but we haven't had the opportunity to drive in any meaningful capacity because of a radiator leak identified the day after purchase. Fortunately, the dealership repaired this a few days ago hence us now being able to drive and noticing the gear issue. As I mentioned briefly before, we thought initially it was grinding due to not being used to a different gearbox but road testing yesterday confirmed it is not behaving as it should.

Is there any car made since the 70's that hasn't got synchromesh on 1st gear?

The Citigo most certainly does!

Very few cars have synchro on reverse, but there are some.
 

Crunching into gear is usually failing clutch, leaky hydraulics or possibly poorly aligned gearshift cables. The latter tends to it make it hard to select a gear, and usually you'll only get a crunch on clutch-up.

1 hour ago, freemansteve said:

Is there any car made since the 70's that hasn't got synchromesh on 1st gear?

The Citigo most certainly does!

Very few cars have synchro on reverse, but there are some.
 

Crunching into gear is usually failing clutch, leaky hydraulics or possibly poorly aligned gearshift cables. The latter tends to it make it hard to select a gear, and usually you'll only get a crunch on clutch-up.

^^^^ - or worn syncro rings in the gearbox.

A way to check for this is to double de-clutch when changing down a gear. A pretty much forgotten art unless you drive old vehicles (especially trucks) 

Old gearbox 101 -

- When changing down gears, clutch in, select neutral, clutch out, briefly press throttle to increase engine speed to approx. same revs as you would expect to see at that speed in the lower gear, clutch in, select lower gear.

The art is in doing all that fast enough to get a smooth change. 

The process can also be used when changing up a gear - except you allow the engine speed to drop when you clutch out in neutral. 

Edited 26 January, 20233 yr by Warrior193
Typo

Perhaps it is, but there are no reports of worn synchros on Up!/Citigo/Mii, that I have seen, if you check the bigger forums....

 

If there is a crunch on selecting reverse, or indeed any gear, when the car is stationary, having started the car with foot on clutch (ie 'box is also stationary), then that's not going to be a synchro issue (and for obvious reasons if there is a crunch on reverse).