Help Please - Gear Will Not Engage

[GTiPilot]

Hi all,

The airconditioning stopped working about a week ago, took it into Peter Brown Auto Electrics in Winnellie (Darwin) yesterday and they fixed a leak and regassed it.

All good until ... about 1km down the road the car was unable to change gears. Pulled over and was unable to select any gear including reverse. The clutch feel normal. It is possible (although i don't want to drive like this) to push/force the gear into first however, it makes no difference if I'm in idle or any revs - it just drives at 10km/h. If other gears are forced it does nothing.

Firstly, any ideas what could be wrong/things I could try?

Secondly, any suggestions of places in Darwin I can have it towed to?

Thirdly, do you think theres a chance it could be something they have done? Or just happened to be after then and would have gone anyway?

Cheers,

Scott

[Blitzen]

Is Saphire Motors still the VW dealership at Winnelie?? If so, go there, but other than that, I have no idea... darwin is a bit of a black hole for Euro Specialists. It sounds like they may have played around with the gear linkages between the stick and the box.

[kaanage]

I agree - they probably undid either or both of the linkages to the shifter while servicing the aircon and didn't properly reinstall one of the clips that secure them.

[noone]

Have a look at the short shifter threads, may be some photos in there.
under the battery, can be accessed by disconnecting the SAI pump flex pipes and removing the intake pipe from the airbox to front of the car.

[brad]

Seems too much of a coincidence. I'd be ringing the auto elec & asking if he touched any part of the gear or clutch linkages.

[GTiPilot]

Thanks for your help guys, yeah really seems a coincidence to me too.

I'm just on my way to the car now and will check it out myself. Rang the VW dealer service department up here and he said its probably in limp mode and hence won't allow me to select a gear? Taking the laptop with vcds and the cable so ill see what the car thinks. Ill also have a look under there as suggested.

Cheers

[noone]

Help Please - Gear Will Not Engage

In a manual box? Don't know of anything electronic which could do that. Gear links is a smart place to start.

[GTiPilot]

Yeah it's manual and yeah that's what I thought.

Taking it to a couple of other places to get checked out. Ran vcds which came up with secondary air pump flow and o2 sensor intermittently taking too long to heat up (which I thought was fixed with apr 1+ but anyway. Cleared all that and I am able to get it up to 30km/h instead of 10 which is good.

Smells like a slipping/burning clutch after driving it which could explain some things but I cannot understand how it can pull like normal and then slip to buggery after stopping at the lights?

Also still doesn't explain why it won't go into any gear.

[h100vw]

Sounds like the clutch isn't clearing, does it go in gear with the engine off? My guess is yes.
Gavin

[GTiPilot]

yes it will go into gear with the car off but same problems once its running. Also, once in first or reverse, it will run with the hand brake on and not stall! Release the hand brake and it will move off.

Just took it to MBN automotive who have a yard full of VWs, they say they have to pull the gearbox tomorrow in order to check, otherwise I'll take it to VW stealership?

Also, linkages under the airbox were all attached properly, clutch pedal has normal 5-10 mm play then normal resistance/feel all the way to the floor.

I don't understand how it can just go wrong all of a sudden unless the auto electricians had taken it for a spin and thrashed it - after all, it is the only 9N Gti up here!

[h100vw]

I don't understand how it can just go wrong all of a sudden unless the auto electricians had taken it for a spin and thrashed it - after all, it is the only 9N Gti up here!

Unfortunately, this is what I think.

I'd be preparing to put a clutch in it Scott.

Gavin

[Guest001]

A very good reason to take the odometer reading when putting your vehicle in to a workshop.

Always do it and usually in front of service guy to let him know I know.

Shame but looks like they cooked it.

[Polo GTEye N9]

GTiPilot, man what a PITA. Seems your Gti got a thogging. Any performance car is targeted!

Yes I took a picture of the ODO reading last time mine was in Hwy VW Springwood. Do it when the service advisor is with you.
I know that you cannot trust dealer staff or owners. I sprung the Company Manager and tech cruising in one of my previous cars, an Evo when they promised it would eclusively be in the workshop getting to the bottom of a gearbox rebuild problem. They also took out the drive line and balanced it. I happened to know the driveline specialist who did the work on my car and he admitted my car was in their workshop without my agreement.
My brother had a company roll his car drag racing it, while it he thought they were washing and detailing it.

I am sure others on here have their horror stories,
Hope you sort it soon.
Cheers Al

[Blitzen]

Help Please - Gear Will Not Engage

Any news on what the A/C place had to say??

[GTiPilot]

Clutch is completely gone, ordered an ECS Stage 1 Kit and hopefully will fix it all and we don't find any other problems!

I'll keep everyone updated and get se pics of how damaged it all is