Help…. My 2012 Audi A3 manual. Struggling to change gear, especially putting in first gear, very stiff and have to force gearstick in to 1st. When I push clutch down, car starts vibrating a bit and even when clutch floored it still creeps the car forward. Any ideas what it is please? 

This could be an issue with the gear linkages or clutch. Is it smooth to engage the clutch? 

Is there any clutch slip etc? 

New clutch needed.

Thanks - When the engine is turned off it is very easy to put in gear, no struggle at all. When engine on is when I have to fight to put in gear. It’s mainly just the lower gears (1 and 2). Pushing the clutch down just seems the same, except that when pushed right down the car starts vibrating a bit. Some times at traffic lights I have to turn engine off, put into 1st gear (easily) then turn the engine back on to be able to drive off. Spoke to my local garage and he said seems to be no issue with flywheel and nay just be crap built up and stuck behind clutch. Could this be true? He said it may fix itself in time and clear up, but just seems to be getting worse. 

Sorry, forgot to mention, no clutch slip either 

Nevertheless the clutch is not opening fully. It could be a broken release bearing, a damaged release lever, a defective slave cylinder, a worn driven plate, a damaged finger, or a worn flywheel. Whatever the cause, the clutch needs to come out.

Okay thanks for the info, I’ll bite the bullett and book in for repair. Any idea what I’m looking on paying to a local garage to replace clutch? Thanks 

5 hours ago, Revo79 said:

Spoke to my local garage and he said seems to be no issue with flywheel and nay just be crap built up and stuck behind clutch. Could this be true? He said it may fix itself in time and clear up, but just seems to be getting worse. 

I would be very wary of using this garage in the future, that's a new one on me. I don't understand why he wouldn't have inspected the clutch when he checked the flywheel? Definitely sounds like clutch to me. I hope you don't mind me asking, and please don't take this the wrong way but have you been driving long? I'm only asking because I was wondering if you would recognise when a clutch needed replacing as all the clues seem to be pointing that way.

By the way, regarding repair costs the clutch was replaced on my A6 four years ago before I bought the car. The clutch kit was just shy of £600, and 5 hours of labour. Hope that helps mate.