I need some help figuring out what is cousing the following probem on my mk2  petrol focus: Sometimes when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear, the shifter stucks half way. It doesnt let me put it in the 2nd gear, only  at second or third try. No grindig noise can be heard. Any of you encountered this problem? The clutch is in good condition. The car has only 130.000 km. I unmounted the gearshift cover and greased the ables that can be seen there. The interesting is that it only has this problem occasionally, not every time when I shift to 2nd. Somebody told me the cables underneath the car need adjusted. Any advice?

Thanx!

You seem to know more than me, but I had a problem shifting into 3rd especially irritating when pulling out of roundabouts. The way I fixed it was shifting from third to neutral several times when the car was stationary.

I've a 2.0 petrol and mine is the same it's not gone any worse tho 

It is very irritating indeed. Especially when you need to make a quick gearchange in the city. Hope somebody will have a sollution for this. I have encountered people with the same problem. And as I concluded, the cables that do the whole moving when you move the gearstick are the fault. Interesting thing: When I move the gearstick right it come back firmly to the center. When I move it to the left it is much slover. I think the spring which u can see on the picture, is a bit tired, because almost everybody leaves the gearstick in 1st gear. That weakening of the spring is enough I think, to not perfectly do the job. 

before getting all technical on it, just check to see if the selector arms on he gearbox can move freely, wouldn be the first time ive had gear selection issue to find a stray hose has moved in the way

Hi I know this post is old, but did you figure out the problem,.  It happens to me where it's hard to leave first gear.  Only sometimes..  it will sometimes make a grinding noise. And I will have to keep pulling the shifter to get it to neutral 

 

Cheers