Stuck shifter after sitting for a while

[nastynas]

I went out of town from September-January, and left my Talon sitting outside in my driveway that entire time. Today I got in my car to try to start it, but the battery was dead. So I was sitting in the car and I started trying to move the shifter (manual) around, and it was like it was just stuck in Neutral. I managed to move it over a bit by pulling on it with two hands, but i didn't want to risk breaking something so I just gave up and pushed it back into neutral. It honestly takes almost all my power just to move this damn thing. The car has had some very cold nights since December, one week it was around -30 degrees the whole week. I havn't had a chance to start the car since I've been back because of my dead batter, but should I expect this to sort of fix itself as the weather gets warmer? Or maybe after I get the car started things will "thaw out" and I can get on the road again? I don't really know what to make of it, I've never had a problem like this in any of my vehicles.

 

[1LE]

Did you rock the car back and forth while in gear, then try moving it? I've had this happen a few times on my Toyota when it's been sitting for a long time in the cold. After rocking the car, it usually breaks free right away.

 

[nastynas]

No I havn't tried that, you're saying I should try putting it in first and then rock it? Or leave it in neutral and try?

 

[1LE]

Leave the shifter wherever it is stuck and try rocking it back and forth. If that doesn't work, try taking a hairdryer to the shift linkage (as much as you can get at anyways)

 

[90TSIAWDTALON]

I'd jump the car or charge the batt. and crank it up and let it warm up to norm. temps and let it sit for bout 10 mins or so and see if it starts to loosen up. Just a thought.

 

[sjgYFZ200]

yup, let it warm up, and see what happens. DON'T FORCE STUFF THAT WONT MOVE! that rule applies to everything.

 

[Sinclair159]

i dont mean to bring up a dead thread but my car is doing this same thing now.. after sitting for a while my shifter wont move left or right.. the up n down moves freely when i move it on the top of the trans but the left to right one will not move.. i can only get the car to go into 3rd and it drives perfectly but only in 3rd gear?? any ideas guys.. i let it warm up n everything so its not frozen stuck..

 

[willydsm]

possible it could be a broken or stuck shift fork? unhook the linkage and see if you can move it without the cable attached. check under the shifter boot and see if anything got down in there too, and PB blaster all moving parts that deal with the shifter too.

 

[Sinclair159]

pb blasted everything, and it still doesnt wanna move.. i parked the car in perfect running order.. i kinda took pride in the way my tranny shifted because i kno dsm's have lots of problems with grinding n such, so i dont belive from sitting i could of done anything wrong to the internals of the trans.. all the mounts look solid the cables look to be attached correctly.. ill try some more pb blaster and give it another shot but it doesnt seem to wanna move..

 

[willydsm]

You may have bad shifter cables. unhook all cables from the trans and the shifter, see if the cables move, then see if the shifter moves,The shifter has long plastic bushings between the shifter and where the cables connect One for up and down moves and one for side to side moves, these are prone to breaking inbetween where the shifter slides into the mounted bracket(it is kinda hard to explain without pics) you will see what I am talking about when you lift up the shifter boot. then reach down grab hold of the linkage on the trans and see if they move.That will narrow down your problem. If you try to move the linkage on the trans itself and it does not move you will have to pull the trans apart and see what is going on inside. HOPEFULLY it is just something simple. Good luck and post back when you fix the issue or have any futher questions. Again Goodluck: