.#Crash Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 Hi all, I'm having an issue with my car that I've noticed over a period of a few months very rarely until it has recently become problematic every day. The issue is that I cannot put the car into First or Second gear at all. It just refuses to go in and if you try and push, it feels like you're going to snap or break something in the transmission. Third, Fourth, etc are all fine. Usually it's just First gear, however Second gear has the same issue a lot of the time too. I would like to note that this only used to happen once every ~4 months to begin with, until now where it has become practically every day. I took it to Ford and they diagnosed it as "clutch-dragging" and said it required a new clutch. When I got it back it seemed fine, and it got me home ok. However, I've had hiccups again where it has done the same issue (just first gear) twice when trying to set off at traffic lights. This meant I had to put it in Neutral and try and put it into First gear again, and it worked. However, until yesterday, the issue happened again as I was about to set off home. It refused to go into First / Second gear again and I had to try and get the car moving in third gear (I REALLY don't like this as it's going to wreck that new clutch). Eventually after quite a few tries it went into First and it was fine all the way home. Right now I'm really stuck for what it could be. I'm going to ring Ford again tomorrow and try and get this sorted out as I rely heavily on this car to get me to work and back every day as It's a 50 mile trip in total! Does anyone have any idea what else it could be or have any suggestions? Unfortunately double clutching doesn't work. so I'm really stumped. Thanks, Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbell Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 First and reverse being difficult is normal iirc -- there's no synchromesh on reverse and I've noticed first being difficult unless you're near stopped. Both my fiestas have had this problem as did courtesy cars. Second definitely isn't normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jethro_Tull Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 Get the car in the air. Locate gearbox, and identify black plastic panel covering the linkage. Remove panel. Pop cables ends off. Thoroughly clean and grease everything. Reassembly is reversal of removal. Four out of five times that sorts it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winemart2 Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 I have to say my box is terrific except for reverse. 1 to 5 just drop in like velvet. The book says not to engage 1st any faster than 15mph (double synchro). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jethro_Tull Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Please forgive me. Now I'm on a proper pooter I can now see yours is a 7, whereas for some reason I thought you had a 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.#Crash Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share Posted June 13, 2017 It's fine haha. I rang Ford up and it got booked in for tomorrow. They're having it all day and hopefully they'll sort it out. Annoying thing now is I've discovered a nice 'whine' coming from the engine that you can hear quite clearly between 60-70MPH (It increases in whine as you travel faster). You don't get it when you rev it in neutral, so it seems like it only does it when the clutch is engaged which you can only really tell when it's moving. Oh well, if anyone else might have any idea or experience with this issue, please let me know! Also, forgot to mention, this car has only done 37,000 miles, and it's a 2013 model... 37k and it's had a new clutch already and it might not even be that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryPL Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Sounds like the gearbox (or bearing within) is on its way out. Had a whine from the engine bay area at cruising speed too. The gearbox was slowly disintegrating. Had flecks of metal in the oil as well. Don't forget that the gearbox is in the engine bay which is why it sounds like an engine problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.#Crash Posted June 21, 2017 Author Share Posted June 21, 2017 On 2017-6-14 at 1:29 AM, GaryPL said: Sounds like the gearbox (or bearing within) is on its way out. Had a whine from the engine bay area at cruising speed too. The gearbox was slowly disintegrating. Had flecks of metal in the oil as well. Don't forget that the gearbox is in the engine bay which is why it sounds like an engine problem. Thanks for your reply! I got my car back from Ford and they told me it was the First & Second Synchro that needs replacing... The total cost of repair is £1450! However, as a "goodwill" they're willing to pay 90% of it! I couldn't believe it, so they told me all I need to pay is £145. I guess this is because they messed up the first time by putting a new clutch in which it didn't need... I did tell them I think I'm going to need new synchro's as it seems like it is the issue - but you gotta let them test it as they're the experts... Anyways, I recorded a clip of the sound and you really have to listen for it. It sounds like an aeroplane. I go up to 70MPH and then I take my foot off the accelerator all together and you can hear it tone down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryPL Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 3 hours ago, .#Crash said: Thanks for your reply! I got my car back from Ford and they told me it was the First & Second Synchro that needs replacing... The total cost of repair is £1450! However, as a "goodwill" they're willing to pay 90% of it! I couldn't believe it, so they told me all I need to pay is £145. I guess this is because they messed up the first time by putting a new clutch in which it didn't need... I did tell them I think I'm going to need new synchro's as it seems like it is the issue - but you gotta let them test it as they're the experts... Anyways, I recorded a clip of the sound and you really have to listen for it. It sounds like an aeroplane. I go up to 70MPH and then I take my foot off the accelerator all together and you can hear it tone down. Glad you had a positive result. Thanks for the recording - I am sure this will help people who have a similar problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.#Crash Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 You're welcome! A ford mechanic came out with me the other Friday and listened to the sound. He advised it could be "heel-toe" wear on the tyres and he did say there is some on them when he went around the car but not much and he felt the inner/outer sides of the tyres, so he suggested before I spend any money, try swapping the fronts to the back and vice versa. I did that and the sound still persisted so I thought it could be a wheel bearing (you can hear the noise quite loud now at 50-60MPH) so I took it on an empty car park and did full locks both ways whilst accelerating just below the threshold of where It was about to slide and i couldn't hear the sound at all. Could this be a drive shaft bearing instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.#Crash Posted July 16, 2017 Author Share Posted July 16, 2017 It went in for diagnosis and turns out it's the Near Side Front Wheel Bearing. Just a note for anyone with the same issue, if you ever have the same type of noise and it doesn't scream or become worse if you do turn in one direction or the other, it still may very well be a wheel bearing like in my case! The topic of this thread is now solved. I hope what I've been through has helped someone else! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winemart2 Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Thing is that it's 2017 and they didn't have a clue. Just wait until you have a computer prob. I'm dreading it. They'll wonder whether to use WD40, gearbox oil or windscreen wash. Spark plugs? WTF is a spark plug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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