Hi,
I have a TDI FR and had a really irritating rattle from my gear lever since new. It happens in neutral with the engine idling and just moving the gear lever a tad would stop it. But the gear stick always seemed to end up in the noisy position. Reading other posts it seemed like this was a common problem but I hadn't read of a cure for it.
Well I spoke to two dealers, Wiltshires in Farnahm and SMC in Windsor. Both said it was due to engine vibration and there was nothing that could be done. I then spoke to the dealer I bought the car from - Westgate Seat in Grimsby and they were really helpful. Their chief mechanic told me to apply grease to the plastic guide on the gear change mechanism. Incredibly it worked - no more rattle.
Here's what to do:-
Undo the screw holding the air intake pipe into the air filter box and remove the pipe. I found it easier to pull it down first then remove it.
You'll then see the gear change mechanism clearly. Get some grease - I expect any grease will do but if it is in a tube it makes it much easier.
Take a look at the photo below, and first squirt some grease into the guide marked by the red arrow. This didn't completely stop the rattle for me but I think it helped a bit.
The plastic guide pivots. Push it on one end to open up a gap in the other and squirt in some grease where the green arrow is. Now repeat on the other side of the guide. Make sure you get lots of grease in there.
Hope that helps. If it does then all credit to Carl at Westgate Seat in Grimsby
I have a TDI FR and had a really irritating rattle from my gear lever since new. It happens in neutral with the engine idling and just moving the gear lever a tad would stop it. But the gear stick always seemed to end up in the noisy position. Reading other posts it seemed like this was a common problem but I hadn't read of a cure for it.
Well I spoke to two dealers, Wiltshires in Farnahm and SMC in Windsor. Both said it was due to engine vibration and there was nothing that could be done. I then spoke to the dealer I bought the car from - Westgate Seat in Grimsby and they were really helpful. Their chief mechanic told me to apply grease to the plastic guide on the gear change mechanism. Incredibly it worked - no more rattle.
Here's what to do:-
Undo the screw holding the air intake pipe into the air filter box and remove the pipe. I found it easier to pull it down first then remove it.
You'll then see the gear change mechanism clearly. Get some grease - I expect any grease will do but if it is in a tube it makes it much easier.
Take a look at the photo below, and first squirt some grease into the guide marked by the red arrow. This didn't completely stop the rattle for me but I think it helped a bit.
The plastic guide pivots. Push it on one end to open up a gap in the other and squirt in some grease where the green arrow is. Now repeat on the other side of the guide. Make sure you get lots of grease in there.
Hope that helps. If it does then all credit to Carl at Westgate Seat in Grimsby
