What are the reasons why the Peugeot 207 gear does not move when engaged?

[DelEmma]

The reasons why the Peugeot 207 gear does not move when engaged are as follows: 1. Functional comprehensive failure: The car does not move when the gear is engaged, which is a functional comprehensive failure involving the clutch, transmission, and drive axle. The fault location should be determined first during diagnosis. 2. Transmission failure: When the car starts in a certain gear and the drive shaft does not rotate, it indicates a fault in the transmission. 3. Clutch failure: If the drive shaft does not rotate in any gear, the fault lies in the clutch. Check whether the clutch is severely slipping, whether all the spline teeth of the driven plate hub and the steel plate rivets are cut off, or whether the steel plate is broken.

[JadeAnn]

Last time I drove an old 207, I also experienced the issue of the car not moving when shifting gears, and it was highly likely due to clutch slippage. For cars with over 100,000 kilometers, wear on the pressure plate or thinning of the friction disc can prevent power from reaching the wheels. If you try accelerating hard and the engine revs soar but the car doesn't move, it's basically a sign that the clutch is done. Also, check if the clutch slave cylinder is leaking oil—aging rubber components in the hydraulic system are quite common in French cars. If you smell burning during partial clutch engagement, pull over immediately and call a tow truck, as continuing to drive could destroy the clutch kit.

[Stuart]

I've been driving a Peugeot 207 as a taxi for six years and encountered gear jamming twice. First, feel if the transmission casing is too hot to touch - if overheated, it's likely synchronizer sticking. For manual transmissions, don't force the gearshift; return to neutral and double-clutch before retrying. If first gear and reverse become completely unmovable, it's probably the shift cable bushing deterioration - a common issue with this model. Once after heavy rain, my car had this problem too; disassembly revealed water ingress through the transmission vent causing gear oil emulsification, which was resolved after oil replacement.

[AlinaDella]

A friend who just bought a used 207 encountered a similar issue. Focus on checking three areas: a broken transmission mount bushing can cause the gear lever to wobble and fail to engage properly; a leaking clutch master cylinder makes the pedal feel lighter; the most hidden issue is loose screws on the gearshift mechanism base. Last time when helping him fix it, we found two base screws were loose, causing the entire mechanism to shift during gear changes—it looked like it was in gear but actually wasn't engaged. You can take a photo with your phone under the gear lever to see clearly.

[OMalia]

When my wife's car had this issue, the repair shop said it was related to the brake light switch. For automatic transmissions, the electronic gear lever requires pressing the brake to shift gears, and losing the brake signal will lock the gear. Although the manual transmission 207 doesn't have this setting, a faulty clutch switch can also cause the ECU to misjudge. Use a diagnostic tool to check for a U0401 fault code. Also, inspect the brake fluid reservoir level; the brake light switch contacts won't reach if the fluid is low.

[DelPaisley]

Those who modify the Peugeot 207 are well aware that a collapsed rear transmission mount can cause this issue. The sagging mount tilts the transmission, altering the shift linkage's movement path. When shifting gears, you may feel the throw has shortened or become sticky—the lever isn't actually reaching its full position. This is particularly noticeable when cold-starting; as the metal expands when warmed up, gears engage more easily. Carrying heavy loads in the trunk accelerates mount deterioration, and vehicles frequently driven at full capacity experience faster rear suspension sag. Upgrading to reinforced transmission mounts solves the problem, but expect increased vibration over speed bumps.