Why wouldn’t my car go into gear after I stalled?

[ifiwander]

Just stalled (stupidly) on a minor roundabout nearby, one I’m familiar with. Not sure why I stalled but it happens I guess. Auto stop start turned the engine back on so I put it back into gear and somehow stalled again…. so when I went to put it into gear the third time, the gearstick would not go all the way into gear. I literally couldn’t get it into first, or even second or third. Turned engine off and on and tried again, still refusing. At this point I’m blocking the left lane at this roundabout unable to move my car. Somehow after trying and trying - feeling flustered all the while - it finally took to first gear and I was off. I then drove it the 1 mile home from there, as normal.

I’m a bit concerned about how this could happen and worried about taking it out tomorrow in case it does this somewhere major like a large junction or dual carriageway.

Car issue or user error because I was panicking? I don’t recall the details too much as I was so focused on trying to move my car so it wasn’t an obstruction.

I don’t think I’ve stalled in years, but I stalled twice this morning whilst pulling off our drive as well :S

Does the clutch pedal vibrate (even slightly) when you press it?

No it’s very loose, slacker than usual

Mine did this when the hydraulic hose between the clutch and the gear box was leaking fluid. Eventually it all leaked and I couldn't change gear at all

Sounds like either the clutch plate or the pressure plate is breaking up.
Or the main bearing in the gearbox has gone and is now not in line

Either way I wouldn't drive it until its looked at. It may seize at any point you are driving and those parts of the car spin very fast.

Not sure how we could get it to the garage without driving it, the RAC won’t recover it because it’s ‘drivable’ according to them.

The hydraulic fluid.

If you aren't confident then you're best off taking it to a garage.

If you cant reliably change gear it isn't drivable. I ended half way across a busy junction unable to move and another driver had to help me push it to a safe spot.

I sometimes have trouble getting my car into reverse. Back to neutral, fully release the clutch, fully depress again and try again usually works.

But your car sounds broken. The first and last time I was stranded on the side of a motorway was because the driver ignored a clutch problem. So yeah, take it to the garage - if it's near you can probably do that one drive, but I'd think twice about carrying on to drive it routinely.

Oh god OP this reminds of the time when my clutch completely went on a busy 60mph A road couldn’t change gears at all and had try and pull it off the road as best I could and phone my dad! 😂 anyway it needed a whole new clutch £800 only had the car about 6 weeks and the garage only gave a months warranty. Then not long after the electric steering went needless to say I got rid of that car very quickly

Is it leaking oil from the gear box?

If you're really stuck - you could probably 'limp' it to a garage, but its not advisable. If you do, keep it in second gear the whole time and drive with your hazards on. Like I say, only do it as a last resort.

This. If you were panicking perhaps you didn’t have the clutch down.

How old is the car? Sounds like the clutch is on its way out. In general, clutches are good for around 70k miles depending on how it's driven.

I'd recommend using clickmechanic to find a local mobile mechanic to come and take a look. I think a diagnostic is about £70.

Bit random but it’s not a Vauxhall is it as my parents and one of my brothers have both had similar issues with their cars (Vauxhalls).

Call the garage and get it looked at. Drive it there but nowhere else.