Generally, if we pass the pertinent checks, maintain a good oil level and do not force gear changes, the gearbox usually has a long useful life and does not need to be replaced over the time that we have our vehicle in use. However, there are a series of faults to which it can be exposed if we are very abrupt with our manual transmission.
Do not make the manual transmission suffer more than necessary
The gearbox is one of the components with the longest useful life in the car, as long as it is properly maintained and does not force itself too much while driving, clearly also being part of the basic elements of the transmission system.
However, like any other component, it can also fail. As such, its main function, therefore, is to allow the wheels of the car to have enough force (engine torque) to be able to move the vehicle in an optimal way.
In this sense, and unlike other components, when the change in the car fails, it is easy to detect that we are about to suffer a breakdown. Of course, it is a diagnosis valid only for manual transmissions that can save us an invoice that usually ranges between 150 and more than 1,000 euros : everything will depend on whether it is the repair or replacement of a component or the complete system. .
Some of its breakdowns can reach more than 1,000 euros
In this, poor maintenance of the vehicle or excess kilometers are usually the main causes of breakdowns in manual gearboxes. And most of the time, as we say, the price of this type of repair is usually very high, since many hours of work are necessary.
Thus, for example, if we notice that the clutch system has problems, there are some symptoms in manual gear changes that indicate this. Among them are some such as the following:
- When you put the gear or change a metallic noise is heard, that is, the transmission scratches.
- Gear stalls or jumps.
- Difficult to engage gear when starting or shifting.
One of the most common we can detect thanks to the smell of burnt oil that it gives off, this being an indication that the transmission is overheating. The moment we detect any of these faults, we must go through the workshop to prevent the problem from becoming a major fault.
Avoid these bad habits
Something to appreciate is that all the parts that make up a manual gearbox need high precision when assembling them and, for this reason, they are created with highly resistant materials. In the event of a breakdown in any of its components, you need to use specific tools to fix it.
But there are times when this type of failure is also due to what may be certain bad habits of us as drivers and which, although we do not realize it, may be causing excessive damage to it.
- Do not leave your hand on the gear lever . Although it may not seem like it, our hand exerts pressure on the internal mechanisms of the gearbox, wearing them down faster and causing play in the bearings or synchronizers. It is clear that with this we are not going to cause an immediate breakdown, but in the long term this bad habit translates into vibrations and contributes to the gear ratios ending up having a more imprecise gear.
- Put neutral at traffic lights . Another of the most repeated vices consists of leaving the clutch pedal depressed, for example, when we are stopped at traffic lights. Comforts aside, the main reason why you should get rid of this mania as soon as possible is again the force you exert on the system.
- Don’t be rough with the marches . It is also very important not to handle the lever too roughly and forcefully, since these are currently very elaborate elements that work smoothly. The violent use of the lever forces many components that sooner or later we will have to replace.
- Don’t change gear so fast . What happens if you switch too fast? Well, the synchronization mechanism does not have time to smoothly adjust the sprocket to the speed of the wheel, which leads to increased wear of this ‘mediator’ element, and can even break it.