Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Shifter problem (i hope) need help!!!

Alright, after doing a 2-3 shift at around 5000 RPM I think something broken in my shifter. The shifter will move up and down fine but will not go from side to side. I was able to limp the car home in 4th gear. I can't get it to go into 3rd it just stays in 4th. I popped the shifter boot off to take a look but really did not know what to look for. There are no weird noises coming from the car, the damn shifter just won't move side to side only up and down! Please help!

-neal

had the same problem last weekend while going to the nopis in atlanta. quick downshift on the interstate to avoid an accident and the shifter will only move up and down . the culprit you either broke the shiter cable or as in my case i just popped the linkage pin that holds the shifter cable onto the the shift linkage on the tranny. hope this helps and i hope it was not your shift cable

thanks for the response. if it does turn out just to be the linkage pin, can this be fixed by popping the shifter boot off or will it need to be put up on a lift to be fixed. expensive? SHould I be able to tell just by popping off the shifter boot? thanks.

-neal

where i popped mine was at the tranny i fixed it my self with a floor jack a 5/16 flat washer and a snap pin from advance auto in about 15 mins

i will go to ford and get the proper linkage pin and replace it . my temp fix has been in place for a week with no probs.

I agree it definitely sounds like a broken shifter cable.

thanks for the responses guys, I'm going to take a better look at it this afternoon.

-neal

Everything is fine...I just shifted too hard and broke the hooks on the selector. With the help of a buddy, he fixed it in about an hour. Car drives great now and I will be getting the Focus shifter tower in a couple of weeks so this won't happen again. Should have gotten it when I had the other work done a while back like Terry told me too.

-neal