Hi All,

I have recently had the Clutch and DMF changed on my 2002 1.8 TDCi focus and everything now works perfectly. I can select each gear fine and the biting point are fine, the only problem is, occasionally the gear leaver gets stuck in fifth and I have to really pull at it to disengage it . It seems to happen more often when running from a cold engine and when I'm in fifth gear and I'm cruising at low rpm.

I took it back to the garage who replaced the clutch and dmf and after a day of having it, they said that it didn't happen when they tested it (am I going mad or something ), yet it happened to me numerous times on my journey home from the garage?

has anyone else had the same problem?

you could always take them out in it.. i did that once, kept being told my car didnt have a fault... so i insisted the service manager came out with me, yeah it took me 45mins to get it to do it, but it worked!!

They then decided it needed a new part lol!

lol, yeah I suppose your right m8. I just left the car with them, but I suppose they just took it around the block. The guy at the garage told me that he took it down the dual carriageway and had it up on the ramp and went through the gears, but it didn't happen.

I was really just wondering if anyone else has had the same problem, so that I know if its gonna be a major problem, or something that I could possibly live with. I really can't afford to spend anymore money on this car as I've already spent £700 on the clutch & dmf.

Well, I took it back to the garage, and they did actually experience the problem. The guy at the garage said he has re-adjusted the clutch cables, but the problem is still there. However, the work around for this is to move the gear stick to the right, to dissengage it from 5th gear . So I will now need to do this everytime I need to change down from 5th gear .

The mechanic said, it may be the fact that over time, parts in the gearbox have worn down slightly and putting a brand new clutch and dmf may enfasise this more, but without stripping the gearbox down, he can't be entirely sure of what the problem may be and obviously this would encure extra cost. He said he doubts that it would cause any major issues.

Has anyone else had this problem at all?

I can kinda see their point, I dont support you would want to pay for a new Gearbox, so its a case of wondering if you can take the irrittant that is their advice, over the hit on your wallet that would otherwise ensue?

There are a lot of cars out there that has this problem, my Focus had a bit of a nuisance issue with wiggling the gearstick, and I guess the same on my Cee'd really...