Help! FoST won't go into any gears! :(

"K-Roll-PorscheTamer" (k-roll390)
07/08/2014 at 13:58 • Filed to: help

I drove to work this morning and all was fine. I'm leaving for work again and I start the car and I can't put it in any gear! Why?

If you didn't know already, this is my first manual car and I've never had this happen before. The FoST has only 6000 miles!

Anyone know what yaw problem is? Now I have to drive a rusty Windstar to work. :(

DISCUSSION (78)

HammerheadFistpunch > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 13:59

Clutch problem? or maybe there is a lockout solenoid on the gear lever and the clutch switch is busted?

The Daily Hoon > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 13:59

What?

505Turbeaux > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:00

does it feel like it is jammed, or it is too loose? Is the lever doing ANYthing?

Edit: Focus ST has a TSB on a weak rear engine mount, where the motor could move around and shred one of the shift cables

thebigbossyboss > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:01

Kinja'd!!!

Once my friend had that (but in an auto). A penny somehow wedged itself under here and prevented the thing from shifting.

cazzyodo > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:01

Wait...what? I haven't experienced anything like this with mine.

My first manual as well but I just tipped 10k miles. Now I'm going to be paranoid.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > 505Turbeaux
07/08/2014 at 14:01

It does feel jammed. Like something's blocking movement. It's a 2014 Focus ST. The lever will move in neutral and when the car is off, but not when it's on and running.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > cazzyodo
07/08/2014 at 14:02

I KNOW!! AND ITS MY DAILY AND IVE ONLY HAD IT 3 MONTHS! :(

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > The Daily Hoon
07/08/2014 at 14:02

My Focus ST won't go into gear.

505Turbeaux > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:03

sounds like a clutch problem. Try and bleed the slave. although I would just bring it in for some warranty work if it is a 14

PelicanHazard > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:04

So just so we're clear, when the engine is off the lever can be put in gear, but not when the engine is running?

Henry Diesel > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:05

Does depressing the clutch feel normal? Like it always feel?

PS9 > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:06

Hope it's the Dual mass flywheel. That way a replacement will eat Fords wallet instead of yours.

The Daily Hoon > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:06

What noises is it making?

Are you locked out of all the gears when the clutch is depressed; as in, you're stuck in neutral and can't move the shifter at all?

Manuél Ferrari > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:10

See you should have bought the auto!

RazoE > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:10

It's still a Ford!

all kidding aside, can you get into any gears with the engine off? Can you hear clanging when you move it? Will brute force get it into a gear? Look under the car for any severed lines. Pop the hood and have someone press the pedal, and look for your slave cylinder and see if it moves.

thebigbossyboss > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:12

Just when you were complaining nothing was broken. :) Welcome to old car life.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:16

Um IDK what you should do so um do some push ups or take it to the dealer.

707Miata > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:20

Do you hear any grinding or whirring noise on start up? Could possibly be a throw out bearing, are you able to shift into and gear while the car is off? Have you tried "rev-matching" into gears?

JGrabowMSt > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:21

If you let the car warm up fully (idle for what, 20-25 minutes?) does it change anything?

Clutch hydraulics maybe, master or slave or both.

My Neon has a hydraulic clutch, but never had a problem with it.

multiple wheels for each day of the week > Manuél Ferrari
07/08/2014 at 14:24

NO AUTO Avail

Jeremy H formerly Kalakaboooom > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:35

If you can put it into gear when the car is off, for the love of god do not start it with it in gear. From the sounds of it, probably some shenanigans going on in your bell housing there, just have Ford fix it out of their pocket, and make sure to ask the techs everything that caused it, so you know for the future.

Where have all the lightweights gone? > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:37

If you have only 6k miles on the clock, call Ford's roadside assistance, have them tow it to the closest dealer, and have them give you a rental. That way, you're not driving your rusty Windstar to work and the issue is taken care of.

Cé hé sin > HammerheadFistpunch
07/08/2014 at 14:37

Clutch switch?

Cé hé sin > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic
07/08/2014 at 14:39

Taking it anywhere isn't an easy option at the moment of course....

HammerheadFistpunch > Cé hé sin
07/08/2014 at 14:39

the switch that shows the clutch being depressed to allow the car to start

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:39

I'm not saying it was aliens......but....

Kinja'd!!!

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Cé hé sin
07/08/2014 at 14:39

Get it towed.

Manuél Ferrari > multiple wheels for each day of the week
07/08/2014 at 14:40

I was just kidding :)

Cé hé sin > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:40

There's a guarantee. Just get the dealer to fix it!

Dusty Ventures > multiple wheels for each day of the week
07/08/2014 at 14:48

Kinja'd!!!

Cé hé sin > HammerheadFistpunch
07/08/2014 at 14:53

There's nothing electrical on a gear lever that I know of.

BeaterGT > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:54

6000 miles?! Wow. Good luck!

Roberto G. > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 14:55

This is most amazing: I had eight manual cars so far, but I never got such a problem!

BeaterGT > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
07/08/2014 at 14:56

Replace aliens with Ford.

HammerheadFistpunch > Cé hé sin
07/08/2014 at 15:00

thats why its called a "clutch" switch...on the clutch pedal. But if you are refering to a lock out solenoid, maybe not, it was just a guess.

jariten1781 > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 15:01

If it freely goes into gear while off but not on it sounds like the clutch isn't fully engaging and you're hitting the syncros. The dummy check would be to make sure your floor mat hasn't gotten bunched up under the clutch preventing you from getting it all the way down. After that it's likely hydraulics. Check the fluid level, you may have a leak, and if not it's probably one of the cylinders completely failing (which would be odd).

Rico > Where have all the lightweights gone?
07/08/2014 at 15:10

I second this, Ford Roadside Assistance should help you easily!

Rico > Manuél Ferrari
07/08/2014 at 15:13

He should've just got the 2015 model which looks way better!

Manuél Ferrari > Rico
07/08/2014 at 15:14

Shhh don't say that, you're gonna make K Roll sad!

Brian Silvestro > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 15:15

Now you're making me panic because I might not be able to drive my car home today.

Rico > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 15:17

Take it to Ford and demand they replace it with a 2015 model!

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > thebigbossyboss
07/08/2014 at 15:22

How is that even posiburu?

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > 505Turbeaux
07/08/2014 at 15:23

What warranty work?

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > PelicanHazard
07/08/2014 at 15:23

Yes. That is exactly what's going on!

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Henry Diesel
07/08/2014 at 15:23

Yeah!

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > PS9
07/08/2014 at 15:24

Oh god... -_-

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > The Daily Hoon
07/08/2014 at 15:25

I can hear it make a sound like you were tapping something like a wall, it sounds like it's hitting something but I can't get it out of neutral.

505Turbeaux > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 15:26

if it is a 2014 are you out of your warranty window already?

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Manuél Ferrari
07/08/2014 at 15:26

Kinja'd!!!

:_(

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > RazoE
07/08/2014 at 15:27

I can get it into all gears with the car off.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > thebigbossyboss
07/08/2014 at 15:27

Damn...At least some older cars are easier to work on!

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic
07/08/2014 at 15:27

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > 707Miata
07/08/2014 at 15:28

I don't even know how to rev-match! There's no grinding or whirring noise at all too.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Where have all the lightweights gone?
07/08/2014 at 15:29

The Windstar is my mother's car... :(

Manuél Ferrari > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 15:29

Don't be sad!

Ford will fix it

Can you get them to pay for the tow?

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 15:30

Push it?

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Brian Silvestro
07/08/2014 at 15:30

YOU'RE SCREWED JUST LIKE ME NOW!!

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Rico
07/08/2014 at 15:30

Hell! GIMMIE THAT 2015 MUSTANG NOW!!

Rico > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 15:31

Aim high!

Brian Silvestro > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 15:35

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Manuél Ferrari
07/08/2014 at 15:50

I can't tow it until tomorrow; I'm at work now. :(

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Brian Silvestro
07/08/2014 at 15:50

YOUR TRANS BLEW!!

Brian Silvestro > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 15:54

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

Manuél Ferrari > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 15:58

damn it ford!

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Brian Silvestro
07/08/2014 at 15:58

OHH!! THERE GOES ZE TURBO!!

Brian Silvestro > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 16:16

*rips out Recaros*

*abandons car*

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Brian Silvestro
07/08/2014 at 16:17

YOU FORGOT YOUR WALLET........MINE!! HELLOOOO CREDIT SCORE!!

Brian Silvestro > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 16:20

I want a Fiesta 1.0L rally car.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Brian Silvestro
07/08/2014 at 16:25

...?? Explain Bruh!

Brian Silvestro > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/08/2014 at 16:29

Oh, nothing really. I just reread my comment about taking out the Recaros and thought "it's probably easy to strip a Fiesta interior" and that lead to rally car.

MyCarDrivesMe > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/09/2014 at 00:18

Though this story looked familiar. I'm assuming you're the same guy that posted this on focus.org haha

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > MyCarDrivesMe
07/09/2014 at 00:21

Yeah that's me. :(

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Jeremy H formerly Kalakaboooom
07/09/2014 at 07:12

What happens if you start it in gear?

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/09/2014 at 07:13

Sounds like your clutch isn't disengaging. Probably a problem with the master or slave cylinder, a leak somewhere maybe so air's leaked into the system.

Does the clutch pedal feel funny at all?

Jeremy H formerly Kalakaboooom > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
07/09/2014 at 09:00

In my experience, if your clutch disc is busted, and you start it in gear, the car will take off, I don't exactly know why, because I've only seen it happen once, I just know what could happen if that is the case.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Jeremy H formerly Kalakaboooom
07/09/2014 at 09:21

Oh gotcha. It's just that I did that when my clutch slave let go on the Jaaag a couple of weeks back. The clutch wouldn't disengage, so I turned it off, put it in first, jolted away on the starter motor and changed gear by rev-matching for the rest of the journey.

I was wondering if that would have caused some sort of damage :S

multiple wheels for each day of the week > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
07/09/2014 at 10:24

so what was the final on this ... DID ford come get it ... do you have a sweet ass rental? did you trade it on the spot for a reservation for a RS circa 2015

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > multiple wheels for each day of the week
07/09/2014 at 11:07

Ford's coming to tow it now.