I have been having issues with stiff gears, crunching reverse (which I know is common in fords) and random times when stuck in traffic or say queueing at mcds drive thru, where my car has gotten stuck in 1st gear, no means of pulling or tugging can get the gear shift to budge!!!, other than rolling the car or turning it off!!!!! I went yesterday to my mechanic who lubricated up my gear cables and this has helped with the stiffness of selecting gears (still have problem with reverse stiff and crunching but 3rd to reverse seems to solve this). However driving back from garage got stuck in traffic and within mins the same thing happened, the car seems to jolt, feels like its gonna stall, ie revs dip and rise, the the gear shift was stuck solid in 1st, took 3 times to turn car off and on to get it to come outta 1st, then it drove fine again. Ive been told my gearbox is probably on its way out, ive had other things mentioned like clutch, gear selector, gearbox oil, brake and clutch oil. Anyone had this happen to them and what was the cause. Cheers x

Personally, I'd get the cables checked by a Ford mechanic. I'v changed a few on the Focus, and the main symptom is being stuck in gear.

As for the crunshing in reverse, this is common as the gearbox doesn't have a syncro in reverse and relies on engine speed to make the gear shift without crunching.

the cables can slide off where there mounted to, just need to be pushed back on, but this caus's a rough feeling...

apart from by the sounds of it, i think its the clutch... ask for the slave cylinder to be bled and all the brake fluid changed.... if the clutch has air in its system it wont disengauge the clutch correctly and you'll find its holding the gear in with the loading on the transmission.... for example apply power (accelerate) while driving, apply pressure on the gearstick as if your going to change gear but dont use clutch, hold the pressure on and release the throttle and it'll pop straight out.

p.s i would take the brake fluid to be bled at another garage as the guy may not bleed it properly trying to rip you off for the gearbox. don't mention the awkward moments of the car being stuck in gear as they will try a similar thing
personnally i don't think its the gearbox causing the hassle

the 3rd to reverse is something i do all the time to stop the crunch. which is what you should do... this or your using your clutch to early (i.e. clutch down when your at 1.5k rpm (leaves the internal items still spinning)... you may find its better to bring the clutch up to the bite and back down in first when stopped to slow the input shaft down, then select reverse

thanks guys, the reverse crunch im used to as my mk 7 did it too and I went back to Fords and complained and they explained why, advised to sit and wait a few seconds after pressing clutch!!! I just do the 3rd to reverse now anyway!!!

Well since I posted this someone found me a link to a RAC forum and a women on there was having the same problem on her 56reg Fiesta, turned out she needed the master cylinder replaced. I then got talking to a neighbour who had the same thing a couple of years back, got stuck completely at a set of traffic lights nothing budging, had to call AA and be towed home, his too was the master clyinder, he had his and the slave cylinder replaced same time (Fiat) anyway Ive called my mechanic, he said yes this could be the problem, however slave is part of the gearbox, so gonna price me up for the master cylinder and we gonna go with replacing that first as thats gonna be cheaper!!!! im not driving the car too much at the mo as im scared its gonna get stuck completely.

Oh and I went and paid £10 for a different garage to check my gearbox oil only to find out the mechanic the day before when lubing up my cables had already checked it!!!!!!

erm the slave cylinder isnt part of the gearbox... it can be replaced independatly.... just involves removing the gearbox and to re-fit it

id do what i said and makesure the slave cylinder is bled

Oh right, I didnt listen properly then I just heard gearbox needs to be removed so assumed its part of it lol. So what would you do replace master cylinder and bleed slave?

I would do what Nosnow3 said first, won't cost you anything except the cost of a little fluid.

It will cost me coz I cant do it nor can OH so means gonna have to go to a garage lol Can you explain by bleeding the slave cylinder what this actually does, ie what does the slave do and what fluid is it brake & clutch? sorry for sounding really dense, but ive no idea what makes my car tick!!! so the random solid in gear could be down to fluid?

the slave cylinder operates the clutch which is what seperates the input shaft on the gearbox from the engine.

the brake fluid reseviour is what also feeds everything to do with the clutch, including master and slave cylinder...

UPDATE:

This turned out to be the master cylinder leaking!, Ive had Clutch, Slave and Master replaced, new brake and clutch fluid and the whole lot bled and for the first time in 6 months of ownership am not scared of getting stuck in a traffic jam!!!!!!

Woop woop

That is what died on my car over christmas

Glad you found the culprit!

Great result Chelle

cheers, so relieved, cant believe though it took me so long lol, I went to numerous mechanics, no one knew why and I did loads of research online, spoke to people on line, was getting mixed replies, started off with the greasing up of the gear cables, and just moved on, shame I didnt do the master first though cos that only cost me £60, where as the clutch and slave was £300, never mind its all done now, but guess what, im still finding myself driving proper, handbrake netural at every opportunity ha ha.