92 Protege, Automatic Shift Lever Binding?

[naustin09]

My wife's 92 has suddenly exhibited a problem with the shifter linkage. Suddenly the gear selector (automatic transmission) is much more difficult to slide up and down from Park to Drive, etc. It used to move quite freely, and now is much tighter.

It doesn't catch, or make any strange noise when you move it - and it doesn't take any kind of extraordinary force to move it - it is just, suddenly, different.

I'm no mechanic, but I know whenever anything suddenly changes, even if it doesn't seem like the end of the world, that there is probably something wrong - or about to be wrong.

The car doesn't drive or shift any different, the gear selector is just stiff.

So, if anybody can tell me what to inspect, whether this is a symptom of a serious problem, or where to squirt some WD40, I'd very, very much appreciate it!

Thanks.

PS) you're missing my all-time favorite smilie...

 

[SlowPro98]

True story, my wife's 98 ES does the same thing, I figured mostly because she never drives it (she loves my wagon) and so it sits for most of the week, and she'll take it out on the weekends and after about 5 minutes on the road it's fine again. I'm thinking that it needs a tranny flush, I just haven't gotten around to buying the new gasket and filter. In the spring, I'll try and get some pictures when I do it, maybe that'll help.

 

[Mazdacub]

It could be a few things but this one comes to mind first. I have had it feel tight a few times also. I dont have any pic so i circled the general areas that might be the prob. Red circle is the shifter assebmly. First off if you feel any difference in using the thumb button (example stiffer or it does not seem to properly disengage the shifter) it could be the lock out pin / tab located in the shifter tube (green circle) or if it is a constant tension while selection any gear it could be a rocker type of leaver on the right side of the shifter (pink circle). When you press in the brake pedal it releases that pivoting leaver unlocking the shifter rod. This leaver on the right can sometimes get stuck in the half way position causing binding when selecting gears. This has happened once to me and it feels stiff to shift. If your up to it take off the top consol cover and the shifter gear selector display and make sure all parts are moving freely when you step on the brake pedal and use the thumb button. One other thing it could be is just the shifter cable to the tranny. It could have a fray in the wire and it is catching in its sleeve or some debris got into it. This might help you narrow down the problem.

 

[SlowPro98]

THANKS! +rep for you sir! (canada)