75ZT Community

After gently bumping into a high kerb I lost reverse gear completely and I can only select 3rd & 4th. The gear lever travel feels disconnected but the clutch appears to be ok as I can change gears between 3rd & 4th !

Thanks,

Steve.

Sounds like part of the linkage has come adrift.

If you need anything brought down I shall be travelling down next Friday - with a box trailer

Paul

Am not sure how old or what model you have? Mine is a 2001 CDT and has 2 cables from the gear stick to the gearbox that control gear selection. Could one of these have been snapped or dislodged?

Is an awkward spot to try and have a look though.

Thanks Chris,

I would say that seems to be the problem. Trouble is as you say it's difficult to get at due to the transmission tunnel. Looks like a long WE stripping down ! It's a 2004 CDT Mk1.

Steve.

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your mails.... I'll reply soon... but I have a problem to resolve first. It seeems to be the linkage or maybe a broken cable... bloody difficult to get to though !

A bientôt,

Steve.

Steve, I would be checking the ends of the cable under the bonnet first....you'll need to remove the battery box to do this....

steve in toulouse wrote:Hi Paul,

Thanks for your mails.... I'll reply soon... but I have a problem to resolve first. It seeems to be the linkage or maybe a broken cable... bloody difficult to get to though !

A bientôt,

Steve.

As I said, if you need anything brought down to repair the car let me know.

Steve, as Zeb says I would start at the gearbox end first.

Battery off, battery box out and have a good look down at the linkages, could just have popped out of the plastic clips.

Yes, if you can only select 3/4 then it's the cable that transfers the side to side motion. They aren't in the habit of jumping off, but if you've had the clutch done recently it can happen. If you look under the battery box, you will see the selector on the gearbox. One cable makes it urn, the other moves it in and out. Chances are one of these is not working.

If it's not that, then it could be a broken cable. This can happen if your lower engine mount (teardrop) is broken. Unfortunately it's a pain in the whotsit to repair as I think you have to remove the exhaust and heatshield.

Certainly start under the battery box though. It's an easy fix if it is that, and if not you need access there to replace the selector mech and cables anyway.

Thanks you all for the advice. It's indeed a broken linkage cable to 1st, 2nd & reverse. I'll replace both cables while I'm crawling underneath and ripping out the interior to get at them. Oh joy !

Cheers,

Steve.

Bad news not a simple solution , but best of luck with changing them.

Might be easier to get a complete selector with two cables, second hand.

Oh, and check the lower mount, it's almost certainly why your cable has gone. I know of someone who had the same problem and replaced the cables only for them to fail again quite soon after. It was only then we worked out why the cables failed.