21st Jan 2003, 05:02

Ford Ka.

I suddenly find that I can't select 5th gear. the lever seems to go to the correct position, but the teeth just seem to grate, without engagement.

Can anyone suggest what may be the likely cause? Is it more likely to be linkage, or something far more sinister, such as teething problems (the lack of)?

I've called a garage for advice, but it seems that they want to spend a few hours (3) looking at it at £36/hr before they will give an indication of likely cause. I even asked for the worst case senario, a exchange gearbox, but they woulodn't say.

Keith Binks

7th Jul 2003, 05:47

Keith.

Don't know if the clutch linkage is adjustable, but it may just need adjusting. Any decent mechanic (ie probably not a main dealer) will know if that's a possible cause.

18th Aug 2004, 13:01

- same problem on the Ford KA I rentedlast weekend

- a pig to get into reverse!!!

19th Sep 2005, 08:55

In response to the above, I have had my Ka Collection for about 12 months. I can honestly say, I've never had a problem with selecting reverse gear. My issue is with getting it back into neutral. I've had lots of helpful (?) comments from friends and family about bringing the clutch up to the bite and then putting it back in, but to no avail. In the end, I generally have to resort to just forcing it out, which I'm sure is doing both my clutch and gearbox no good at all!!

6th Oct 2005, 08:23

I have recently acquired a second hand Ford Ka2 and having funny problems with the clutch.

Firstly at even the slightest mention of clutch control the clutch burns up and gives off that horrible smell.

Second, on occassion and this seems to be random, the clutch will stick when changing gears by that I mean that I bring it up after selecting gear slowly, but it sticks in place when it is about half way up and won't let me bring it up slowly. You are probably thinking this is driver error, but really my clutch control is not bad and I have practised it in bigger cars than this. Has anyone else found this?

6th Oct 2005, 11:53

The sticking is more likely to be the clutch cable rather than the cluctch. I had a similar issue with my Fiesta and solved it by removing the cable, exercising it through its full range of travel and then refitting it.

As regards getting reverse, try putting it in first gear before engaging reverse gear.

8th Dec 2005, 03:03

I drive my dads ford ka1 and it does have the problem with getting into reverse, but if you force it down it will work or you put it back into 1st then reverse it should be fine. I thought it is a great car.

29th Dec 2005, 15:07

I have owned my Ford KA for 6 months now and have not come across any problems after getting used to reversing after the first day of going out in it, it was fine. I am glad I choose the Ford KA for my first car. and I wouldn't change it for the world.

4th May 2006, 04:06

I bought a Ford Ka in June 2002. It was the first brand new car I have ever owned. To be absolutely honest, I wish I had never set eyes on the thing. Three times I have had to pay vast amounts of money because of problems with the suspension - another common problem with the Ka, a mechanic tells me. Indeed, the car failed its first MOT on the suspension.

Now the clutch is on its way out. Before you ask, it has done 47'000 miles and I drive my car like any normal person, and it has been regularly serviced.

I think they may be fun to drive and great to park, but their economy is negated by the amount you have to spend on having them repaired.

I'm looking forward to selling mine shortly. Please think twice before purchasing one and carefully consider alternative cars with similar prices.

23rd Jun 2006, 11:00

I purchased a used X reg Ka Collection last month and I too regret ever clapping eyes on the thing. I am having major problems moving this vehicle as I am having great difficulty trying to put the car into any gear, let alone reverse. I desperately want to sell it, but am unable to move it to even take it to my local garage.

6th Jul 2006, 10:37

I was given my Ford Ka from my Nan, and had been off the road a year before I got it, and another year before I passed my test. The suspension had rusted (but had been broken/snapped for a long time before I got it), I had it serviced and MOT'd before I started driving, and it lasted 6 months (and the clutch went, partly my Nan's fault though, she'd burnt out 3 clutches before me, and started a new one off.. which funnily enough was slipping when I had it).

Here's the funny thing, she gave me the car when it had 14,000 miles on the clock, and I had a new clutch around 18,000 miles.

When the car came back from the garage, the clutch felt DODGILY LOOSE and it had a major oil leak coming from the engine.

- Day after = big clunking noises,

So I sent it back to the garage and they took it for a day, said it had no problems and brought it back.

- Still had oil leak, not so bad, so I took it back and they knew which part was leaking, and what part they needed, so it went back the day after that and it got fixed.

Car comes back - clutch felt normal (back to how it felt when I first drove it = the springyness, not the clutch slipping).

Anyway I've driven 1000 miles (ish) since, and the clutch suddenly went really lose and mushy, it still springs back, but it doesn't feel right again (dodgily feeling LOL). Anyway, the brake pedal is intermittent between feeling hardly pumped up and not.., and the gearbox feels easier to change, also the steering felt slightly different, ANY IDEAS WHY!?

RE: reverse gear.

The problem with putting it into reverse gear in KA's is you have to push the gearstick fully to the right before pushing it back into 'R'

If this doesn't work, keep the clutch down, put it in 4th gear and then into reverse.

11th Jul 2006, 16:29

Could be an airlock in the hydraulic system maybe?

5th Nov 2008, 15:04

I'm on my second KA now, and I never had a reverse problem in my first one, but in this one the stupid "safety feature" has left me sitting. The "safety feature" is to stop you putting the car into reverse whilst going along, but when you're not moving it has the same effect LOL.

Ford need to stop putting this stupid system into their cars, as it wastes time and causes distress!!!

21st Oct 2010, 14:13

I have recently bought a second hand KA Collection as my first car.

Didn't do it at first, but after 3 months, the suspension is making some very odd creaking noises every time I go over speed bumps...

Any one else have this problem? And is it expensive to fix!!??

27th Apr 2014, 12:40

Hi, I recently bought a Ford Ka for my girlfriend. It drove nicely, went through all the gears properly, but as we were on the way home from picking it up, I couldn't get it into 5th gear - it doesn't seem to go into the slot. I pulled over to investigate, couldn't find anything, went to put it into reverse and it was doing the same problem. Is this a selector that's dropped in the gear box, or is it something to do with the linkage? I've checked to see if anything has fallen and jammed it, but nothing seems to have. Any help, I will be grateful thanks.