Focus wont go in to 5th gear or reverse

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Mon 7 Aug 2006 14:09
Focus wont go in to 5th gear or reverse - john ww2006
Hi

I have a 1.8 ford focus T reg that has done 78,000 miles or there abouts.

A few days ago I stalled i accidently went to put it in reverse withiout the clutch down which stalled it as could be expected.

It has reversed fine since then and gone in to 5th fine since then....until yesterday.

Yesterday I parked it in a supermarket car park and it will not go in to reverse at all, or 5th gear. The formation is

1 3 5
I_ I _ I
I I I
2 4 R

Luckily I managed to get it pushed out the car parking space and drove it home using 1,2,3,4

Now I am not sure what the problem could be or what the cost of repair may be. I have put it in to be seen by a mechanic who I know and I have this extended 12 month warranmtry I got off the dealer who sold me the car in April 2006, but am not sure if this would be mechanical breakdown or not.

Any of you guys know what it might be and what the cost of repair may be??

Thanks, John
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Mon 7 Aug 2006 14:36
car wont go in to 5th gear or reverse - Armitage Shanks {p}
Well it might be a 'breakdown' if you don't give too much detail of how it happened! Don't you have to take it back to the place that sold you the warranty to get any repairs done?
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Mon 7 Aug 2006 16:18
car wont go in to 5th gear or reverse - DP
Does the gear lever feel like it's in the same position as before when in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th?

I remember something similar on a Cavalier which was caused by the gear linkage slipping, and the gear lever itself reaching its limit on rightwards travel preventing the selection of 5th. It also meant that 3rd was where 5th was, 3rd where 1st used to be and so on.
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Mon 7 Aug 2006 16:41
car wont go in to 5th gear or reverse - LeePower
Sounds like one of the gear linkage rods has popped of its ball joint to me.
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Mon 7 Aug 2006 17:12
car wont go in to 5th gear or reverse - john ww2006
Hi,

1st 2nd 3rd and 4th are all as they are supposed to be.

When the gearstick is in neutral it is in its normal position. It is not like pointing to the left or anything. I just cannot get it very far to the right after gear 3 and 4.



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Mon 7 Aug 2006 17:26
car wont go in to 5th gear or reverse - LeePower
You really need the car up on a propper ramp so you can have a look under & see if one of the gear linkage rods has popped off its ball joint.
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