Hi. I am writing to ask for some help with a vehicle I have recently bought. It is a manual 2017 Mazda 3 diesel with 35,000 miles on it and I have noticed that the gear change doesn’t feel right. I have observed the following behaviour:

1. The gear stick is stiff to change between gears and feels like it is catching or dragging as it changes between gears. It can be very noticeable when selecting 1st, reverse or changing to second and 6th but occurs on all gear changes. It feels notchy and inches several clicks before engaging the gear rather than one smooth action.
2. It can be difficult to engage 1st/reverse gear from standstill with the clutch on the floor or to change to 2nd gear. It feels like the gear stick is blocked from selecting the gear even though it is in the right rev range.
3. The biting point seems to vary from being low to being at the end of the clutch pedal travel. The clutch pedal can feel easy to press or very heavy to press and can suddenly bite much harder even after the biting point has engaged. It is very difficult to have a smooth gear change.
4. When manoeuvring in reverse where the clutch is up it doesn’t feel like it is biting very much and it is hard to move the vehicle. Lifting the pedal more doesn’t seem to make it bite more.
5. There has been some vibration experienced through the clutch pedal even when depressed.
6. The car jerks when lifting off the accelerator even at the slightest movement of the pedal in higher gears. Further it feels like there is some jerking in the transmission when accelerating or cruising.

This behaviour is unlike any I have experienced on other vehicles I have driven. When this isn’t happening, the gears can be really slick and smooth and easy change with no resistance and it is easy find the biting point.



What could the issue be caused by and are there any easy diagnostic tests that can be run to identify the possible issue? Is this something that should be diagnosed by a mechanic or would I need to see a specialist?

 

Thank you for your suggestions. I have just got the car back having had the clutch replaced (pressure plate, throw-out bearing, friction disc), a new dual mass flywheel, slave and master cylinder. The transmission oil was also changed. This has removed the vibration from the pedal and fixed the issues with a variable biting point. The clutch performance is so much better, however, it hasn’t solved all of the issues.



Gear selection isn’t smooth, and it still feels like it binds and drags into gear. It never grinds but doesn’t feel as fluid or as easy as it should. I have found manoeuvring in 1st and reverse awkward when they are harder to select. In all honesty the changes take longer than they should and I feel the engine revs dropping too much. Its most noticeable in reverse, 1st, 2nd 5th and 6th but it can also be felt in 3rd and 4th. This isn’t always the case and some of the downshifts can be easier. Selection seems to be much easier when the vehicle has warmed up a lot or when there is movement in the car. Changes when driving up hills seems to be easier, but very hard to shift from 3rd to 2nd in the morning at the bottom of a hill even though the engine revs have almost died. The issue seems to be across all gears. I noticed that selecting 6th at cruising speed seems awkward and I feel like I am having to pull it into gear.



I've tried selecting gears with the engine off and notice that they are still hard to get into gear. I feel it is awkward to select it but it feels ok after and will go back in easily. However, after selecting certain gears, others then become hard again.



The car has only done 40,000 miles. Is there anything else I can do to try and diagnose the issue? If anything I think it is stiffer now since the car has had the clutch done than before.

 

Sounds like the transmission took a beating from the bad clutch!

 

Is there anything that can be done to easily diagnose the issue further?