need advice please on citreon zsara

darling.x

I'm a learner and bought myself a 99 citreon zsara, 1.4L, last week of my cousin. He kept the car very well and its very good condition. It passed nct in jan and he sold it because hes taking his mams car. It will be a few more weeks before i take it out onto the road though.

I need advice on something. The gearstick is very stiff. Its fine when the engine is turned off, and when i practise the gears its loose, but when i turn the engine on and try to put it into first gear its very stiff, so stiff it won't actually go into gear. This only happens at times, and other times its fine and loose. What kind of a problem could this be. And would it be easily fixed. Oh and my foot is all the way down on the clutch when i change gear. My car has very high millage on it - would this be problem in relation to the gearstick.

I hope my gearbox is failing on me - I've just bought the car.

Henry Ford III

I'd suspect the clutch is worn or perhaps the cable needs adjusting.

crosstownk

When you gradually engage the clutch (let your foot off the clutch pedal), how far does the pedal travel before the clutch engages (car drives)? Is it near the floor, midway, or just before you take your foot off the pedal completely?

If you stop the car with the engine running, put it in third gear and apply the handbrake and attempt to drive away, will the engine cut out if you engage the clutch?

bazz26

My initial guess would be that because you are still learning and relatively unfamiliar with the car that you may not be engaging/releasing the clutch properly when putting the car into first gear.

Have a more experienced driver try it and see if they experience the same problem.

darling.x

Thanks for the replies guys.

When I start releasing the clutch the car starts to drive when the clutch is up just after mid way.

I got a few more people to try it at my car and the same thing happens to them also. This problem only happens at times. One minute its nice and loose the other minute is so stiff and i can't get it into first gear.

I allowed my younger brother to drive my car at times without my supervision and he was saying yesterday that some cars to start the engine you need to have your foot down on the clutch. This is what he was doing - foot on clutch and then start the engine. I never heard this before. would my gearstick problem have anything to do with the way he starts my car.

If this problem continues i'll have to bring it to the mechanic and if its a problem mentioned in one of the replies - ie clutch might need replacing or a cable thing - would it be expensive to fix. (I'm female by the way - and i don't know much about cars).

crosstownk

darling.x wrote: »

he was saying yesterday that some cars to start the engine you need to have your foot down on the clutch. This is what he was doing - foot on clutch and then start the engine. I never heard this before. would my gearstick problem have anything to do with the way he starts my car.

This is true with some cars - current VW Passat, BMW 5 & 3, Renaults, and some others. But it is not the case with your Xsara. However, there is a school of thought that says that you should always press the clutch when starting as you relieve the burden on the starter motor of having to turn the gearbox as well as the engine. Personally, I always start a car with the clutch depressed - just as a backup in case the car is in gear

I'd say you're best off having your mechanic/dealer look at it - just to be sure. We can all make an 'online stab' at diagnosing the fault, but really it needs to be driven to ascertain exactly what the problem is.

darling.x

I love my car - i do hope i don't fk up the gearbox.