Can't engage 1st, 2nd, or reverse! Help!!!

[StitchJones]

I own a 2007 Mazdaspeed 3 GT. So I'm just driving along and I'm going to take a left turn into the local Sonic so I drop it down to 2nd gear for the turn....only I can't put it in 2nd gear. I didn't hear any kind of mechanical noise or the sound of anything breaking or anything at all. It was just suddenly I can't put the stick into 1st, 2nd, or reverse. It feels as if something is stopping the gearshift from going to the left to put in any of those gears. What could possibly cause this? Anyone have any idea? I've got my car home (starting it from 3rd gear at stoplights) and I still can't get the gearshift to go into 1st, 2nd, or reverse. Please help!

 

[yager]

Take the center console out, its very easy, look inside to see if something is obstructing your shifter.

 

[haberdashery]

here's the instructions from TWM's site on how to take the console apart, it's really easy. hope this helps!

http://www.twmperformance.com/manuals/mazdaspeed-3-short-shifter-manual.pdf

 

[Aaron@JSC]

is it possible there is something obstructing the shifter linkage counterweight in the engine bay? It comes pretty close to some intakes.

 

[stockms3]

look under ur air box!

 

[Antoniogut]

take it to the dealer?

 

[dkswim]

i would look and see if anything is binding up under the hood first then pull the counsole apart then take to dealer. if no mods do a quick look and then call dealer and see when they can get you in to take a look of it will take a couple days seee if you can do anything

 

[Mspeed3]

had similar problem with mine. took to dealership and they said the shift linkage was twisted. was fixed for free. I guessa bolt from the factory wasnt tightened all the way

 

[StitchJones]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I've got an appointment with my dealer in the morning so we'll see what happened I guess...hopefully nothing major...

 

[StitchJones]

Well the dealer called and said it was low fluid that caused this. I'm not quite sure how a low fluid of any kind can cause the gearbox to not even be able to go into 1st, 2nd, or reverse. The dealer said they topped off this fluid (which I'm not sure what it is, or where this fluid is in the car) and now it works perfectly fine again. They checked for leaks and didn't find any, so they're concluding that this fluid must've not been properly filled at the factory.

So at least it was nothing major. I'm going to try and get more information when I pick my car up tomorrow because as I said, I'm not quite sure how just being low on some kind of fluid can cause your gearshift to not go into 1st, 2nd, or reverse.

 

[Aaron@JSC]

..thats odd-- at least its fixed and its nothing major! good to hear.