Fiesta floppy gear stick!

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Thu 8 Jan 2004 19:47
Fiesta floppy gear stick! - toneB
Hi to Forum, my assistant at work has a 1.4 fiesta (poss. 1999/2000 model). She surprised me today by saying that for the last 6 months she has been struggling with her Fiesta but was too embarrassed to ask for advice!. Basically the gear stick doesn't follow the standard shift pattern and is very floppy. It can be put into each gear without any trouble - she has gotten used to it now - but she is thinking os selling it soon and would like to have it sorted out. It reminded me of a problem I had years ago with my Talbot Solara which had about fifty selector rods and springs and all sorts of ball joints to get the damn thing through the gears - one day one of the balljoints popped out of a socket and I could only get a certain gear/ The Fiesta only appears to have a rod and some form of stabiliser shft/rod so this can not be the problem here - can the problem be cured as a DIY job (ie replace gear shaft rod(s) or is it a gearbox problem best left to Uncle Henry (Ford) - amusingly my work colleague has just admitted that she has a mechanic uncle called Uncle Henry! Thanks in advance.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 8 Jan 2004 19:50
Fiesta floppy gear stick! - Mapmaker
A Ford with a sloppy gearbox? You'll be telling us that you've got a Fiat with some rust on it, or a Hilux you cannot break next.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 8 Jan 2004 19:56
Fiesta floppy gear stick! - toneB
Hi Mapmaker - Although I am always happy to set up a gag or punchline for a joke I did say Sloppy gear change not sloppy gear box!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 8 Jan 2004 20:52
Fiesta floppy gear stick! - Mapmaker
ah! read the question before responding!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 8 Jan 2004 19:57
Fiesta floppy gear stick! - John S
toneB

I believe this is similar to the earlier model Fiesta which uses a clamp to connect the shaft from the 'box to the shaft from the gear lever. Sounds like this has come loose. There is a specified reconnection procedure to use. It's in the Haynes manual, but basically it's on the lines of putting the gearbox in a specified gear, the gear lever in a specified poition, and then twisting one section or other before tightening the clamp. I'm sure someone will be along with the exact details. Believe me if you don't do it properly, the gearchange can be completelu useless!

Regards

John S
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 8 Jan 2004 20:00
Fiesta floppy gear stick! - toneB
Hi John, thanks for advice. I will check the tightness of the clamp tomorrow - the gearchange is pretty useless now (except that my colleague is so used to the gear change she knows exactly where to "stir" the gear stick to get the right gear. Thanks for advice. Will also check out Hayne's at the Library before tackling her car!.
Kind regards
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 8 Jan 2004 20:23
Fiesta floppy gear stick! - Civic8
Sounds like the selector linkage is badly worn at gear lever end.Replacement is a must.it is unlikely to be the clamp on gearbox end.but not impossible.It is common on fiesta/escort
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

We give you the low down on how to save on insurance, little-known tricks and tips, what insurance groups mean and how to use insurance aggregators to beat insurers.

Insurance group finder and how to save on insurance