Transmission lost fifth and sixth gear

G&K2008

MEMBER
2008 VAUXHALL ZAFIRA
1.9L
4 CYL
TURBO
2WD
MANUAL
100,060 MILES

We were driving along a dual carriageway and heard a noise from under the car, (sounded like under front end) at first we thought we'd ran over something or something had got caught up under the front passenger side wheel (wheel arch). We were in fifth gear, about to change to sixth, but as tried to change it just would not go into sixth, so tried to change it back to fifth but would not go into gear. I thought we were about to lose all gears or that clutch was going, but my husband got her into fourth as we were driving back down to Northamptonshire from Evesham and had fifty miles left to go. We did not lose any more gears and managed to get back home but took our time, still got first, second, third, fourth and reverse. After got back looked underneath for anything, there is what looks like oil/grease on the inside of the front passenger side wheel. Really need to get her fixed and back on the road, any advice/ ideas/remedies welcome.

7 Replies

PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO

MECHANIC
1,853 POSTS

If there was no noise after you lost fifth and sixth gear from inside the transmission, perhaps the shifting rod from the shifter for fifth and sixth just fell off at either end, at the transmission or the shifter.
See if you can find the source of the oil/grease. If it is impossible to find the source because of oil/grease all over everything, you should use some engine degreaser, soak it down, let it soak for ten minutes or so, then wash it off.
If and when you get the fifth and sixth gear back and no noise from the transmission, check the gear oil level, to make sure it is safe, check all the other fluid levels, then start the engine, let it idle while listening for noise, keeping an eye on the gauges, shut it off after a few minutes and then look to see if the leak is visible yet, if not take it for a short test drive and look again, then repeat a little bit longer test drive and look again and always be listening for any noise or any gauges to show warning of temperatures, etc.

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Tuesday, March 13th, 2018 AT 7:59 AM

G&K2008

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4 POSTS

Thanks for replying and let me assure you that fifth and sixth are not going to come back. And the reason I know this is because when we lost those gears we were just starting a sixty five mile journey to get back home. And the car managed to get us home with first, second, third, fourth (and reverse, lol). And we just took our time with her. By the time we got back I heard (and vaguely recognized?) A whining noise followed by a clicking, spinning sort of whirring sound from under the car and the gears were just getting harder to get into and feeling bit lumpier. We have parked her up and now trying to identify exactly what the problem is so we can get the part(s) needed, then get our car back on the road. And thanks again.

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Tuesday, March 13th, 2018 AT 8:17 AM

PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO

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If a shifting rod has not fallen off, then the problem is most likely internal and a broken gear. Unfortunately, I do not have any repair manuals for a Vauxhall Azfira that would show the internals of the transmission or even how to remove it.

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Tuesday, March 13th, 2018 AT 8:22 AM

G&K2008

MEMBER
4 POSTS

I thought the exact same thing but there are a couple things that I am not sure about; I have had a clutch go on me in my life and gearboxes too, different cars obviously, (not this one) and we still got first, second, third, fourth and reverse too? Plus the fact that she managed to get us home, (over fifty mile journey) with only the gears what we had left, taking our time with her, obviously. And we only started hearing the whining noise from her as we got home. And the lubricant that is on the inside of the front passenger side wheel is niggling me because previously (on different car) I have seen that before when there has been broken/faulty/failing CV boot/joint/axle problems. I would have thought that if it was gearbox issues, would not I have gradually lost the remaining gears?

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Tuesday, March 13th, 2018 AT 8:36 AM

PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO

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Check to see if a CV boot on that side is broken.
If lets say a cluster gear has broken teeth on it and that cluster gear only works fifth and sixth gear, that would be the reason it had no fifth and sixth gear.
Are you sure that there was no shifting rod or something that fell off for just fifth and sixth gear? Did you look to see if the shift lever on the transmission moves from fifth to sixth? If it does, than it is internal and you really will not know what it is until you look inside.