My shifting problems started summer 2000 when I took my car to Walnut Creek Ford to stop a very small shifter-area buzz at certain engine RPMs, a sound the car had from 'Day 1.' The repair took place at 35,000 miles, near the end of the warranty. I waited till then because my desire to have something repaired FREE overcame my apprehension about what problem might be introduced working with those little linkages under there.
The dealer was able to solve the small buzz, but I was unable to get into FIRST gear without some effort. I returned to the dealer and they were able to solve the FIRST gear shifting problem, however, after the second attempt, it was now somewhat difficult to get the car into REVERSE. I thought I'd learn the new REVERSE shifting method and REVERSE shifting would get easier. It didn't.
Current symptons:
1. REVERSE difficult to find.
2. FIRST very seldom but sometimes hard to locate.
3. Sometimes get THIRD instead of FIFTH while getting onto the freeway.
4. Noticed a subtle, and what seems like, a small lurch forward when starting engine with clutch depressed and car in FIRST gear. (rare and just in last few weeks)
Today the dealer says that the car needs a new clutch, and that all the symptoms described probably indicate that the clutch does not always fully disengage. If their diagnosis is correct, they said the transmission could be damaged by this 'clutch hang' as they call it. Price for repair - $1,499. (wonder if that includes tax?)
I always suspected that there was some shifting linkage alignment problem, since I never had a problem shifting until the day after the first buzz-repair last summer.
Any ideas out there? I notice that XCHANG had an idea that works, but I was unable to connect to the HOT-SPOT link for his posting.
Did XCHANG's posting have something to do with a 'shift shaft bolt, which was mentioned in one of the subsequent posts?
Thanks, John
