

The following video has more information than you need, but it does a great job of giving you a visual representation of what’s happening when you pull on the gear selector lever. Make sure not to overtighten the cable or you may snap it or break the transmission bracket.If the cable is still too loose to follow the movement of the gear selector, set the selector back in neutral and repeat the process.Have the helper cycle through gears again and track the movement of the bracket.Use two wrenches to tighten the nuts slightly. There’s a set of two nuts on a thread a few inches behind the bracket.The helper should set the transmission into neutral while you follow the movement of the transmission bracket.Make sure the vehicle is securely elevated before going underneath.Raise the front of the vehicle on jack stands and place the wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.Your helper should take a seat in the driver’s seat before you begin.Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: Any price and availability information displayed on at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. You’ll need to elevate the vehicle safely and have a helper shift gears while you’re adjusting them from underneath. The process of adjusting the length of the shift linkage cable is simple but also quite delicate.

There are a few failures that will cause the shift linkage problems, but the two we can work on at home are the cable length and repairing the linkage collet. You might suspect the starter or a bad fuel pump, but if you cycle the transmission through gears a few times, you might shift it back into park and start the vehicle. This symptom is the hardest to identify because everything would appear normal. It’s rare for a vehicle to have a system that prevents you from turning off the engine, but almost all vehicles with automatic transmission won’t allow you to start the vehicle unless the gear shifter is in park or rarely neutral gear. Some vehicles have a safety precaution where you’re not allowed to turn off the vehicle unless the gear shifter is set into parked or neutral gear.īecause linkage problems are typically accompanied by gear mismatch, the vehicle might stay in reverse when you put it in park, making it difficult to shut the engine off. The point is that the currently selected gear is not synchronized with the gear transmission is in. When the linkage collet becomes loose or the cable stretches from years of use, it’s possible that the length of travel that the cable makes between different positions isn’t enough to actually change gears on the transmission.Ĭhanging from park to reverse will not engage the reverse gear, going into neutral might still leave the vehicle in parked gear or switch it into reverse, and so on. As the problem progresses, it will become increasingly more difficult to shift into neutral or drive. One of the most obvious signs of linkage failure are problems with moving the gear selector through all the position. The problems with shift linkage are identifiable by the fact that even though the transmission is not responding to your commands, it’s still operating properly. By pulling on the shifter, you’re mechanically switching the transmission mode from park to reverse, neutral, and different forward drive modes. Luckily, the shift linkage is nothing more than a cable connecting the selector lever to the transmission.

#GEAR SHIFT LINKAGE CABLE PROFESSIONAL#
The truth is that most transmission problems are beyond your general mechanic and have to be handled by a professional that specializes in the field. Those of us that know a thing or two about the internal workings of the powertrain are immediately concerned whenever there’s a problem with anything transmission-related.
#GEAR SHIFT LINKAGE CABLE HOW TO#
To help you solve your problem, we’re going to review the mechanics behind the shift linkage, the signs that it’s failing, and how to fix them.Ĭontinue reading this article to find out more and save a significant sum you’d spend on professional labor! How Does Shift Linkage Work Shift linkage represents the connection between the gear lever and the transmission and can cause a number of issues if it’s not in good condition.
