At the moment mt car is stuck in reverse with the gearstick floating around. Has it just lost its connection or is it a gearbox problem?

derek, July 2007

My 2000 lx estate has done this 3 times now. I have to remove the exhaust (two bolts, between the exhaust and the cat, and 5 rubber supports that hang from the car). Remove the heat sheild that is between the car and the exhaust (6 nuts). This will give acces to a black box with a lid with about 12 screws holding it on. Remove the lid and you will see a ball joint flapping in the breeze. Click the ball and socket back together and your gearbox will work again. Must be a repair to stop this happenig again, but it only happens every 2 years or so.

richard, May 2008

I'd say your gearstick linkage is broken or has come adrift somewhere. That's the cheaper thing to try anyway before replacing the gearbox; indeed, anyone replacing the gearbox would notice the linkage problem anyway. If the gearbox was broken, your gearstick would not 'float' around. Usually this repair would be cheap, unlike replacing the gearbox!

Tony, October 2007