SOMEONE PLEASE HELP - my 14 plate fiesta ecoboost (125 bhp titanium X) will not go into first gear unless I fully stop and sometimes won’t even go in then unless I take my foot fully off the clutch and back on. Had this problem for months and it’s really bugging me now but don’t wanna go out and buy a new clutch if that isn’t the problem. Really would appreciate the replies if this has happened to any of you lads.

Back in the day if this wasn't a dodgy slave cylinder it would be a stretched clutch cable.  Dunno if they even have cables these days?

Could be something as simple as low fluid but I'd want to know why fluid was low if it is.

 

Nope, no clutch cables nowadays.  Gearshift is done via cables instead though.

1st is often a pain to get unless you're stationary, I don't think it's actually a problem, although I appreciate it's annoying.  If you were struggling to get all gears then it could be clutch drag but unlikely a new clutch would fix this unfortunately.  You could try having the clutch fluid bled in case there's a bit of air in there.

I didn’t think there was synchro on first in the IB5. I which case you have to be stopped to get it into gear. 🤔

22 minutes ago, ThaiFiesta said:

I didn’t think there was synchro on first in the IB5. I which case you have to be stopped to get it into gear. 🤔

That only applies to reverse.

4 hours ago, ThaiFiesta said:

I didn’t think there was synchro on first in the IB5. I which case you have to be stopped to get it into gear. 🤔

Very few cars had synchro on first when I learned to drive! But addressing the problem in hand the OP mentioned the problem had been there a few months which suggests it wasn't originally an issue?  Can you get it to go in gear if the clutch pedal is pumped a couple of times which would suggest an air lock/fluid leak as mentioned by Guy and Tom earlier. 

Had quite a few cars where 1st is sometimes a bit reluctant to go in without returning to neutral now and again, my current Mk 8 is not great in this respect.

16 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Nope, no clutch cables nowadays.  Gearshift is done via cables instead though.

1st is often a pain to get unless you're stationary, I don't think it's actually a problem, although I appreciate it's annoying.  If you were struggling to get all gears then it could be clutch drag but unlikely a new clutch would fix this unfortunately.  You could try having the clutch fluid bled in case there's a bit of air in there.

It is a problem mate likes it not normal having to fully stop then putting the clutch up and down again to go into gear, I hold up traffic because of it and it makes me look a bad driver haha. How would I go about getting the fluid bled??

5 hours ago, Harry97 said:

It is a problem mate likes it not normal having to fully stop then putting the clutch up and down again to go into gear, I hold up traffic because of it and it makes me look a bad driver haha. How would I go about getting the fluid bled??

It is pretty normal on the move tbh, seems especially bad on Ford gearboxes too unfortunately...no chance of getting 1st in my old Mk3 Focus while rolling...I just learnt to hold 2nd as long as possible instead. The alternative was ramming it in into 1st with a horrible notchy feeling and the occasional crunch so I tried to avoid that as much as possible!  However you shouldn't need to double declutch when stationary I agree.  Probably easiest to just ask a garage to try bleeding the fluid for you, they have vacuum bleeders that just sucks the fluid through nowadays.  Only takes a few seconds to do, but they may need to remove something for access on the Fiesta (airbox for example).  Shouldn't cost much anyway!

 

I had similar issues with the same car as you (minus the higher horse power). It was with different gears (initially 3rd, the reverse and 5th).  Basically it was almost impossible to get into any of those gears. I took it to the dealer who then tested it, did some tightening up of something and now it feels like new again. Total cost about 50 quid (but I don't live in the UK).

 

Did changing th transmission fluid work? I am experiencing the exact same issue in my 2014 zetec s (1.0l ecoboost) 

On 7/14/2021 at 3:21 PM, CharlieLingard said:

Did changing th transmission fluid work? I am experiencing the exact same issue in my 2014 zetec s (1.0l ecoboost) 

I tried this, it has not resolved my issue, my car occasionally (getting more often now) won’t go into 1st or second when sat still 

52 minutes ago, G-evans225 said:

I tried this, it has not resolved my issue,

I take it that your car is not an Automatic and that you didn't change the Transmission fluid.

Sounds more like the gear linkage needs adjustment, or you have a worn piviot arm on the cable to gearbox connection.