Gearbox Feels "mushy" When Coming Out Of 5Th?

[cakehoover]

I have a manual Citroen C5 diesel from 2004. I love the car and it's been very reliable, but in the last year or so, the gearbox has started to feel "mushy" when I change out of 5th gear. 

 

I'll try to explain a bit better what I mean. Going up into 5th is fine, but when I come down out of 5th, the gearbox doesn't go cleanly into neutral: it sort of slips out, and it's hard to tell when the car is out of gear. 

 

Then the only way I can get it into another gear is by moving the gear lever left and right a few times to return it to the central position. 

 

Also (I don't know whether this is related, it's been a problem much longer) the car doesn't always go into reverse the first time I try to put it into reverse: I have to try it twice and give it a good shove to get it in. The other gears are OK. 

 

Could anyone suggest what might be causing this? And is it likely to be expensive to get fixed? As a single woman I am always nervous about going to a garage with no idea of what's going on. 

 

thank you!

 

Anna

[coastline taxis]

Reverse gear dosnt have a syncromesh on it and thats why sometimes they crunch. next time put it into any gear first then try reverse. if no better then give the box a oil change and check the gear linkage for wear

[MikeLane]

I have this problem occasionally as well; you drop the gear out of 5th and it doesn't spring back to the 3rd/4th neutral position.

As it's intermittent I tend to ignore it but I believe I read in one of the topics that there are cables which can be adjusted (?).

However, I will be investigating my glove box to try to gag the Traffic Master lady who's just woken up after nearly 9 years!!

Very useful to troll through the forums so thanks to all you experts.

Edited February 22, 2014 by MikeLane

[paul.h]

The Haynes manual explains how to adjust the gear change cables but it needs a special tool to set the gear lever in the correct position, either made to the dimensions shown in Haynes or purchased.