Changing Down Gears

[joelwool]

I can't find anything about this on the net, and it has never happened to me in another car.

Is it normal for my car not to let me select 1st gear, until the car has slowed down to 5mph or less, it physically will not let me select 1st gear at any speed over 5mph.

this is when I am changing down obviously.

2005 petrol ford focus.

[theduke]

Why would you need tho?

[SeanW]

That is quite normal...1st gear is for moving off

Sent from my SM-P600 using Ford OC mobile app

[khevolution]

perfectly normal.... as mentioned above 1st really only needed for pulling away from a standstill

[Stoney871]

My mk2 is exactly the same.

There is a definite notch in the gear shift stopping first being engaged at any speed that could cause damage to the gearbox.

It is totally normal.

Sent from my S5

[AndiDote]

Iirc my old saxo used to do that. Haven't tried it in my Focus though.

Sent from my S5

[troy45]

Quite likely it uses a solenoid to mechanically prevent you selecting reverse or first above a certain speed. My Focus has one on the shifter mechanism, I've just never tried it seeing what speed or gears it affects.