Perhaps one of the most fundamental parts of a car’s engine are the gears. Whether you’re driving electric, hybrid or manual, all cars use the concept of gears to build up speed and facilitate the distribution of power from the engine. Gears contribute to the control of the car, they can be used to slow it down, climb hills and loose top speed performance. So when a gearbox goes wrong, it’s a big deal.
We recently had a Volkswagen Tiguan brought into our garage here at A1 Diagnostics which had just such a problem. Arriving with some suggestive symptoms, our team of expert mechanics tracked down the issue to some faulty shift forks. Here is the vehicle pictured at the garage.
The Americans call manual cars ‘stick shift’ for good reason. Shift forks are critical in moving the gears and controlling that distribution of power safely and efficiently. If these go wrong, the engine can’t function properly – and the symptoms can be equally uncomfortable for the driver!
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The mildest symptom is a dashboard warning light. Then can come grinding noises from gear changes, gears ‘popping’ from their chosen gear back into neutral, and metallic noises. From here, though, the next stage can be a ‘limp’ engine, where the car can’t convert any power and can only trundle along at a low speed. The worst symptom, though, is a car stuck in one gear….possibly even reverse!
Under those circumstances, getting to a garage can be nigh on impossible, so it’s a good idea to get any mild symptoms checked out quickly. At A1 Diagnostics we offer a fast and efficient service that can check any concerns and spot issues early.
For this Volkswagen, the solution was a replacement of the shift forks, meaning the gearbox would function normally again. The Tiguan’s transmission was removed and its outer case removed, after which the clutch was taken out to give access to the shift forks. The forks could then be inspected to check for bent or worn forks, and replacements installed. The unit could then be rebuilt and fresh sealant added to prevent further issues.
Once the gears and new forks had been realigned and fully checked, this vehicle was ready to return to the road. If you have any concerns about the state of your car’s gearbox, don’t wait – get in touch with A1 Diagnostics today and we can help!
