My Gear Stick

[woody141288]

Hi there, on my focus my gear stick stays to 1 side. so as i go from 1st gear to sceond gear its fine but when i want to go from 2nd to 3rd i have to pull the gear stick over, it dont spring into the middle as any other car does. for instance if im just sitting in the car with engine not running if i got into 1st and the pull it out of 1st into neutral the gear stick stays over to the left side where 1st and 2nd is instead of springing back into the centre where 3rd and 4th is. anyone know why this is. cheers

[old cruiser]

Sounds like the return spring on the gear lever's knackered mate.

Have a look at this link I think it will help you

Cheers Pete

http://www.ffoc/modules.php?name=For...pic&t=82311

[woody141288]

Hi there old cruiser. thanks for that, i tryed getting onto the link, i have signed up but it wont let me get into it. is the return spring a big job? how basic isit. thanks for your help mate. cheers

[old cruiser]

Hi mate, with the FFOC club you need to subscribe (£15 I think to access the how to's, sorry I forgot to mention this!!) but found another link and have pasted it below, Hope it makes some sense as I've not had to do this job on mine.

Here it is below mate.

Part No: 1142069 - �2.82 +VAT

Remove cup front cup holder plastic bottom bits.

Remove rear centre ashtray thing.

Remove little plastic round screw cover from under rear centre ashtray.

Unclip the gearstick leather (with plastic bracket - just fiddle and pull) and unscrew the gearknob and take both off.

Now the handbrake.

Unclip the leather handbrake surround and slide up and over the handbrake.

Unscrew the two screws where the cup holders were and the one under the ashtray and keep 'em safe.

Now you've got to pull the handbrake all the way as far as it will go or you wont be able to life the centre console over the top of it properly.

If you cant get the console over the handbrake then pull the brake some more.... I was surprised at how much i had to do this.

Now you can have a look at the problem. If you move the gear stick around it becomes clear where the 'spring' is and how you can get to it.

From memory, I then took out the three screws that were holding the main plastic surround in place.

When this main black plastic bit is loose then you'll be able to twist it around and pull it out completely.... then you can get to the spring, which looks alot like the one you bought from the Ford dealer for a little over �3.

Just grease the new part like the old one was. I used the same grease from the old part (looks like lard), and fit it where the old one was...

The next bit is tricky as you will have to work out where the main black plastic thing fits back in (you removed 3 screws earlier), this is what took me some time, other wise the job is done is less than 10 mins. Anyway, the black plastic thing has to fit back in like it was but along with the new spring. If you fiddle for a very short time and think logically, you'll do it..

Anyway, you'll know that it's all back together when you can feel the spring working properly when you move the gearstick slightly....dont move it too much as the black plastic thingy isn't screwed in yet....it may be of help to hold the black plastic thing while checking it's all together right.

Anyway, it worked quite well for me, and I then put all the screws back and cliped everything back in, in reverse order to how we took it apart.

It's a shame I dont have a digital camera, or I would have taken some photo's of the black plastic thingy....

Trust me, you'll know it when you see it...just unscrew it.

About �60-70 saved.