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Right this is really pi**ing me off.

Has this problem for a while, it pops up every now and, its normally after I've been driving for a while (after the cars heated up), but recently it's been doing it alot more.

I'm having problems selecting gears, more so down (3 to 2nd for example) than up (2 to 3). Once the clutch is suppressed the gear stick just won't move, the lower the gear/revs the harder it is.

At times when in neutral, i've literally had to pull the clutch up and down a few times to engage first gear.

The clutch itself does NOT slip, its a tad heavy, and the bite is about halfway up. When it gets like this, it feels really crunchy too.

The greabox does NOT whine or make any kind of noise (thank god)

I'm thinking its my pedal box, or possibly the clutch? can anyone shed any further light?

Thanks in advance

Clutch cable sounds worn - its not depressing the plates properly. Other than that, it could be your gear selector cables. Mine get replaced next week, providing the second one comes in from back order!!

I had exactly the same problem...

So I had my gearbox reconditioned (it was whining as well)...


HOWEVER..... The clutch wont disengage properly if the release bearing slider has snapped off....The one on my gearbox was totaly mashed..

Might be worth checking it...But it means you have to take the gearbox out!

I had this with my gti, never got worse but noticably when warm it was sometimes a b***h to engage gears, no grinding noises, it just felt like something was in the way of the gear.....

I wouldnt worry too much tim, the box is renowned for being notchy, i had my gti for a year and it didnt change, I know what you mean about engaging at stand still as well, i used to do the same by lifting the clutch up & down, it used to be more common going into reverse,

i worked out if you engaged first & moved the car slightly or let off the handbrake to make the car move, it would almost always select....as if it was in a certain position the gear didnt like going in..

try it next time, make the car move before selecting again...

Ok brilliant, cheer guys. Sounds like i'm not the only one!

Is clutch cable easy to check? Or does it involve alot of work, cos its getting serviced next week so if not a big deal i'll get him to have a quick look

IMHO the clutch cable is a PITA to change....It involvs hanging upsideown under the steering wheel....Not a fun job...


Deffinately worth letting them have a look at it tho, see if they have any ideas....

It may just be that the gearchange mechanism needs adjusting (They have the Jigs and tools to be able to calibrate it...)

just sorted mine sounds like the same problem. is there a bit of play in the pedal? like a really soft bit before it gets harder to push? bite point in the lowerhalf of the pedals movement range? crunches some times on down changes? difficult to get into first/reverse without crunching? and it seems worse when driven for a few miles/warmed up? this is exactly what i had.

Think you might just need to adjust the clutch cable (if you havnt tried this already?) look at the end of the cable to the right of the engine on top of the gearbox you will see the threaded end with two nuts on it. you will need a 10mm and 13mm spanner (i think) hold the 13mm still and un-nip the 10mm, (dont remove the cable from where it is held in place or once tightened you will not be able to replace it!) then you can tighten up the 13mm nut to the desired amount (try turning it about a further 10mm up the thread for a start) nip up the 10mm nut, start the car and try engaging first/reverse while stationarg (depressing the clutch of course). you should notice less play in the top of the pedal range (if you had any), also the bite point should be higher and you should find it easier to get in gear without any crunch.

If it feels about right go for a test drive. if there is still room for improvement repeat the process. mine is much more enjoyable to drive now with i far improoved bite point.

I took my car to vw, thinking it could be that the pedal box re-call had not been done, but they checked the vin (chasis number) against their records and they indicated it had been done, and gave me the print out for my records (free by the way).

I think this adjustment is needed due to the normal wearing of the clutch, and the slight stretching of the cable over time making it less effective. so a simple and quick adjustment could sort it, and save you alot of dosh and time. Give it a try and let us know

thank alot mate, i'm not one to paly with the clutch myself, the cars going in for a service next week so will get them to do it then,

Shall i just ask if they could check out the clutch cable and get it tadjusted then?

really is very simple to do, just a case of turning a couple of nuts, and easy to acces (even with my big hands), just a couple of bendy pipes above. you could always measure the lenght of thread sticking out before you adjust it, and return it to this if it has no effect (but i recon it will) sure they will know how to adjust the clutch cable, but who knows what they will charge, or weather they will say you need a new one instead. i just did it for peace of mind that i had tried it before spending out and it worked. only took me 5 mins! and you cant be damaging the box in the mean time with all that crunching etc!

Any chance you could get some pictures up of the bolts that you mean etc?

May have a go at this myself, however my local is quite trustworthy

same here ive got the same problem, pics would be great!

sure, i will take one later when i finish work, and load it up tonight. seriously though ide be happy to ask my wife to do this! (i dont mean on your car, i just mean its easy) you cant realy miss it. on the right side of the engine bay when standing in front of the car, to the right of the engine, the gear box is at the bottom. you can see the clutch cable coming round behind the engine (from the direction of the pedals) and it attaches to the top (passes through a metal retaining eye thing to hold it in place, then is hooked onto a short arm which opperates the clutch) the cable itself is wrapped in the usual black plastic stuff until it gets to the retaining eye bit, where it has a round rubbery bung thing to secure it. it is hooked into the end of the clutch controling arm in by a u shaped (when looked at from above) piece which sits in the same shape receptical bit of the arm. then on the closest bit to you of the cable, you will see a plastc sectoin containing a tensioning spring, and finally the two nuts which you can adjust and the threaded end of the cable which they are on. this may sound complicated but once you se it it will become clear, and there is nothing else you can confuse it for. there are a couple of coolent pipes etc located above it, but they dont get in the way and you can easily see it past them. if anyone has a photo of this area of the engine bay i could maybe describe it better, other that that i will take one later.

Once the two nuts are un-nipped from eachother it is very easy to tighten up/adjust, (think i did mine with my fingers) then just nip them up again, job done!

well you've given me enough confidence to try it myself! I'll wait for pictures though to be 100% sure.

Thanks alot dude

took some pics and added to photobucket, link here

http://s211.photobucket.com/albums/bb268/Nogwuy/

tried to get it from a few angles, and pointed at it in one so hopefully you can see which bit it is!

also fitted new gear knob today (old one soon to be listed for sale)

and added flufffy dice!

thanks alot mate!!

I'll let you know how i get on