Gearbox trouble

My son bought his 2014 MINI Cooper Countryman 1.6 from a MINI dealer and it has had all the necessary service requirements performed by the same dealership. The car has covered 21,000 miles and not been abused.

Recently, my son noticed a little difficulty getting into second gear, but now the car refuses to stay in second gear, throwing the lever into the neutral position, so he has to go straight from first to third, etc. Could you advise on the likely cause of this problem and the rectification work needed? My son is concerned that a car should not need gearbox rectification at such a low mileage, not to mention the price of such work as the dealership are quoting £135 per hour just for a diagnosis. Melvyn Allen

As the problem is only occurring with second gear, the fault does appear to be within the gearbox. Some MINIS suffered from premature clutch and flywheel failure, but this would give the same symptoms throughout the gears. It’s possible there’s a problem with the second gear synchro hub, which would account for the difficult selection and refusal to stay in gear.

Before condemning the gearbox, it would be worthwhile inspecting the gearchange cables and external linkage for any excess play or problems with movement. With the air filter box removed, the gear linkage can be accessed quite easily and any problems should be visible. Checking the condition of the gearbox oil could also give an indication of any internal problems. A grey or silvery colour to the oil would indicate wear with the components, but if the oil is clear then a problem with the gears or bearings is less likely.