Ibiza Mk6 6F 2019 stiff/sticking gear selector

[timread]

I've got an intermittent gear change issue with my 2019 Ibiza 1.0 TSI 95PS SE Tech which I'm curious if anyone else has experienced. For around a year, while shifting up between second and third gear, or less frequently from third down to second, the gear stick intermittently gets stuck or feels stiff until "forced" into gear. It feels like it's stuck in the gear selector, both moving it out of the gear it's in, and into the next gear. It almost feels like there's a piece of rubber in the way of the gear selector. Most of the time however, the gear changes feel 'normal' and do not exhibit this behaviour. I have owned the car from new and it has done 37K miles.

There's no difference in the clutch pedal 'feel', between when it's happening and not happening. Also, no mechanical noise or grinding etc when changing gear.

I just had the car in for its annual service & MOT with an independent garage who normally do a great job on both my SEAT and Skoda vehicles. They checked the gear change issue, but couldn't find an immediate cause. They said the clutch pedal was a 'bit heavy' and that it's likely they would need to check the clutch or slave cylinder, and with the labour for that; it's likely they'd recommend changing the clutch while they did this work. It seems a bit extreme to need a clutch replacement after 37K miles - and seems unlikely to me that this is the root cause.

I came across a similar post in this forum for a 2018 Leon FR, but nobody responded. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[jezyg]

I've got an intermittent gear change issue with my 2019 Ibiza 1.0 TSI 95PS SE Tech which I'm curious if anyone else has experienced. For around a year, while shifting up between second and third gear, or less frequently from third down to second, the gear stick intermittently gets stuck or feels stiff until "forced" into gear. It feels like it's stuck in the gear selector, both moving it out of the gear it's in, and into the next gear. It almost feels like there's a piece of rubber in the way of the gear selector. Most of the time however, the gear changes feel 'normal' and do not exhibit this behaviour. I have owned the car from new and it has done 37K miles.

There's no difference in the clutch pedal 'feel', between when it's happening and not happening. Also, no mechanical noise or grinding etc when changing gear.

I just had the car in for its annual service & MOT with an independent garage who normally do a great job on both my SEAT and Skoda vehicles. They checked the gear change issue, but couldn't find an immediate cause. They said the clutch pedal was a 'bit heavy' and that it's likely they would need to check the clutch or slave cylinder, and with the labour for that; it's likely they'd recommend changing the clutch while they did this work. It seems a bit extreme to need a clutch replacement after 37K miles - and seems unlikely to me that this is the root cause.

I came across a similar post in this forum for a 2018 Leon FR, but nobody responded. Has anyone else experienced this?

Not on Ibiza but on an Alfa Mito, this is how it started then got stuck in gear. Thankfully an easy and cheap fix as was the slave cylinder leaking. I did that repair myself as was two bolts and remove from top of gearbox bell housing and replace with a £27 new one . Slave or master would be my guess. If cheap enough you could try replacing the slave cylinder first? Or see if there is weeping around the slave cylinder at all?

 

[timread]

@jezyg thanks for your feedback. I checked under the bonnet last night but couldn't see any leaks... although I did struggle to locate exactly where I should be looking. I think the master and slave cylinders are in the back left engine bay, i.e. where the clutch pedal links through to the engine bay?

I just checked the garage service report, and in that they recommend replacing the clutch and flywheel. I'm still really surprised given the car's current mileage. My Skoda Octavia MK3 estate has 117K miles and as far as I can remember it's still on its original clutch so I don't think my driving could have worn the Ibiza clutch so fast.

Would a local independent gearbox specialist be likely to give better advice than my usual garage on fixing this problem? Getting the clutch cylinders replaced would be much cheaper than replacing the clutch and flywheel.

 

[jezyg]

@jezyg thanks for your feedback. I checked under the bonnet last night but couldn't see any leaks... although I did struggle to locate exactly where I should be looking. I think the master and slave cylinders are in the back left engine bay, i.e. where the clutch pedal links through to the engine bay?

I just checked the garage service report, and in that they recommend replacing the clutch and flywheel. I'm still really surprised given the car's current mileage. My Skoda Octavia MK3 estate has 117K miles and as far as I can remember it's still on its original clutch so I don't think my driving could have worn the Ibiza clutch so fast.

Would a local independent gearbox specialist be likely to give better advice than my usual garage on fixing this problem? Getting the clutch cylinders replaced would be much cheaper than replacing the clutch and flywheel.

Funny that the Ibiza is harder to find than an Alfa Mito that was very quick and simple, makes a change. But I think the clutch slave is on the bell housing too here is a video which may help:

Surprised about the flywheel as is not dual mass, clutch possibly but is a more expensive fix - but then I am not a mechanic either. Did they check the cable-operated gear linkages? Gear linkages and then slave cylinder is always the cheapest first option. However, getting a second opinion is never a bad call either especially a gearbox specialist.