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My 2005 Pulsar is a 1.8L manual hatchback - it's a great car. When the car is cold, the gearbox doesn't make any squeaks/crunches. However when the car gets warm to a standard temperature, when I put it into first, I hear a slight squeak/crunch when it goes into first. There's no hesitation with it going into gear, nor does it bounce back out, and all the gear transitions are pretty smooth. Is this an area for concern (could it just be wear on the gears), or is something catastrophic about to happen? Could it just be a lack of lube/fluid, or perhaps a clutch adjustment is needed? Some clarification would be great! Also - I've just driven the car from Wellington to Auckland and no issues, all the gear changes were smooth - it's just that small crunch into first. Many thanks.

Hi there,
I recommend getting your car looked at before too long. This could be an early indication of possible clutch adjustment, or a hydraulic issue. Or maybe even the fluid may need replacing to improve gear slection when hot.