Driving car, changed gear and clutch wouldn’t lift or wouldn’t allow me to change gear , Vauxhall Corsa SXI
clutch is able to come to top and go to bottom but with no resistance, unable to change gear and went with a sudden change of gears
My car has 115000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.
it's a vauxhall corsa 1.2 sxi , 53 plate
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello – I believe your clutch hydraulics have failed, most likely with a low fluid level (check), or a fluid puddle under the car (or both). As a result, the clutch does not disengage, or allow gear changes. I would recommend an inspection of the clutch hydraulics by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.
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A clutch that won`t engage at all means there is serious damage somewhere. Check for a bent linkage, a seized slave cylinder, or a seized throw-out bearing. Beyond those, check for binding in the linkage, a corroded cable, or a failed friction plate.
When you want to press the clutch pedal, lift your foot and press down by pushing from your knee. Once you`ve changed gears, release the clutch pedal by anchoring your foot on the floor (the same way you would anchor your right foot to toggle between the brakes and the throttle) and flexing your ankle backwards.
The main reason the car won`t go into gear is that the level of transmission fluid in the vehicle is lower than required. If the level is low despite regular maintenance, there may be a leak. Transmission fluid, therefore, is important to ensure that the car`s moving parts are properly lubricated for functioning.
Why Is it Sticking? Your clutch pedal connects to its operating system via a cable. If the cable becomes stretched, then it loses some of the tension it needs to work. And if the cable breaks, then the clutch loses its connection and may stay down and fail to rise at all.
Generally speaking, the most common causes for a lift to be stuck are: Not enough oil/faulty oil level reader. Damaged pump or valve. Leak in the hydraulic system.
Hard, and sometimes impossible shifting into first and reverse is caused by the clutch disc not moving away from the spinning flywheel. This is commonly referred to as the “clutch is not releasing”. The number one cause is the hydraulic system that operates the clutch is leaking and has low fluid.
If your clutch is jammed, the clutch disk may have gotten stuck to the flywheel. To free the clutch, you can place the transmission in neutral and push the vehicle to start. When attempting to fix the problem on your own does not remedy the issue, you may need to bring your car to a transmission shop near Rockville.
It is typically an actual pedal located to the left of the clutch. The dead pedal allows for the racer or driver to keep the left foot on the same plane as the clutch, thus making the transition between them smoother and faster. However, the dead pedal still serves no function to the car itself.
If the pressure does not build up, the pump or relief valve is bad. If the system is operating at a slower speed, a volume problem exists. Pumps wear over time, which results in less oil being delivered.
Air in the hydraulic fluid makes an alarming banging or knocking noise when it compresses and decompresses, as it circulates through the system. Other symptoms include foaming of the fluid and erratic actuator movement.
There could be a leak on the slave cylinder causing the slave cylinder not to operate. Also, check the pin to the clutch pedal and make sure that it is hooked up to the clutch master cylinder. Check the lines and make sure that they are not cross threaded, which will not seal and cause a leak.
Trapped air in the hydraulic line. If there is air in the hydraulic line, then it can cause stiffness in your clutch. Air usually gets trapped inside if there`s a leak somewhere in the line. This causes air to enter the system and can make your clutch pedal harder to press.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Driving car, changed gear and clutch wouldn’t lift or wouldn’t allow me to change gear , Vauxhall Corsa SXI
ANSWER : Hello – I believe your clutch hydraulics have failed, most likely with a low fluid level (check), or a fluid puddle under the car (or both). As a result, the clutch does not disengage, or allow gear changes. I would recommend an inspection of the clutch hydraulics by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.
My manual car won’t go into gear, it turns on and the clutch goes down perfectly fine. It happened after my gears grinded, the car
ANSWER : If the clutch mechanism is releasing properly, and the shift linkage is not malfunctioning, your transmission will have to be removed from the vehicle and inspected. Once a transmission has been removed from a vehicle, if the problem is a broken or worn part or parts, and the transmission has 100,000 miles or more, the most cost effective approach is to just simply rebuild the whole transmission. There are transmission rebuild kits that are sold just for this purpose. Rebuilding a transmission is no big deal and is indeed easier in many respects than rebuilding an engine. You can rebuild your transmission right in your own garage. You can NOT rebuild an engine in your own garage due to the highly specialized, and extremely costly, machine shop equipment required. Occasionally, mobile mechanics will take on a transmission rebuild job especially as once the mechanic removes the transmission from the vehicle, it is just simply a modular unit that can be easily transported to a mechanic’s shop and rebuilt right there and then returned to your vehicle. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
My truck won’t allow me to change gears even when pressing the clutch. No gears go in at all. Makes it impossible to drive.
ANSWER : Hello, this concern is possibly the slave or clutch master cylinder failure. These two components use brake fluid to apply pressure for movement of the clutch system. This fluid breaks down in time and causes the seals to fail (leak). A low fluid level would cause this concern as well as internal leakage. Replacement of components would be necessary. This type of concern would need to be inspected. If you’d like, a certified technician from YourMechanic can come to your location to diagnose your vehicle, and possibly replace your clutch master cylinder if need be.
I was driving had my car on gear and lost acceleration. I pushed the clutch in and put on gear but only grind but won’t move?
ANSWER : If the clutch lever, on the transmission, is functioning something has mechanically failed in the clutch and/or the transmission. If the clutch failed, and you heard gears grinding, as you tried to shift the transmission, some damage may have been done to the transmission. Even if just the clutch has failed, the engine and transmission will have to be separated to find the cause of the failure and worn out or broken parts will likely have to be replaced . To request an inspection, the recommended service is clutch system diagnostic. If you request that diagnostic, the responding certified mechanic will evaluate what you have and let you know of your repair options and costs. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
cannot put car in gear while running
ANSWER : Hello. If the clutch hydraulic system is fully bled and functioning properly then it needs a new clutch. When the clutch fails the hydraulic system can allow it to work properly until the slave cylinder overextends and the system ends up overheating which causes it to create air in the system. I would double check the pressure in the hydraulic system first and if all of the parts are working correctly then the clutch will be needed.
my car refuses to go into gear and the clutch paddle looks fine and the clutch wire is ok , but when the car is turned off it gear
ANSWER : This could be a problem with an internal transmission component, such as a gear synchronizer, but a defective clutch pressure plate could exist as well. The clutch system would have to be inspected and if no obvious issue exists (in terms of "travel" or need for adjustment) and yet the shift problem persists, the usual course is to remove the clutch/transmission assembly for careful inspection and rebuilding if necessary. If you would like a definitive diagnostic, please request a clutch/transmission inspection and the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you promptly. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Car won’t go into gear. 2002 Audi A4 Quattro
ANSWER : Hi there – Your symptoms describe the behavior to expect when your clutch hydraulics go out (clutch master and clutch slave cylinders). Check your clutch fluid level – it may be low. If the fluid level is low, this usually means your clutch slave cylinder has worn out, not unusual with your mileage, and should be replaced. I recommend a malfunctioning clutch inspection performed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.
When I’m driving, sometimes the car over revs and jerks when I shift gears after the cars been on for a while
ANSWER : Hi There,
What you are describing may be a result of a faulty speed sensor, potentially low transmission fluid or a even a faulty transmission control solenoid. As your vehicle travels down the road, the computer analyzes data being sent by vehicle speed sensors and engine speed sensors. Based on this information, the Engine Control Unit (ECU), or the Transmission Control Unit (TCM), executes the appropriate upshifts and downshifts by sending a signal to one of several shift solenoids. These transmission solenoids have spring-loaded plungers inside them, which are wrapped with wire. When this coil of wire receives an electrical charge from the TCM / ECU, it causes these plungers to open, allowing transmission fluid to flow into the valve body and pressurize the desired clutches and bands. When this happens, the transmission changes gears and you continue down the road. The computer controls the transmission solenoid in several ways. If the vehicle is equipped with a dedicated Transmission Control Unit, it can open or close the hydraulic circuit using a direct 12v signal. In some cases, the Engine Control Unit (ECU) can control the solenoid’s plunger by turning the ground circuit on and off. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your transmission.
What you are describing may be a result of a faulty speed sensor, potentially low transmission fluid or a even a faulty transmission control solenoid. As your vehicle travels down the road, the computer analyzes data being sent by vehicle speed sensors and engine speed sensors. Based on this information, the Engine Control Unit (ECU), or the Transmission Control Unit (TCM), executes the appropriate upshifts and downshifts by sending a signal to one of several shift solenoids. These transmission solenoids have spring-loaded plungers inside them, which are wrapped with wire. When this coil of wire receives an electrical charge from the TCM / ECU, it causes these plungers to open, allowing transmission fluid to flow into the valve body and pressurize the desired clutches and bands. When this happens, the transmission changes gears and you continue down the road. The computer controls the transmission solenoid in several ways. If the vehicle is equipped with a dedicated Transmission Control Unit, it can open or close the hydraulic circuit using a direct 12v signal. In some cases, the Engine Control Unit (ECU) can control the solenoid’s plunger by turning the ground circuit on and off. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your transmission.
