Hard Shifting On Manual Transmissions

Sometimes the linkages on a manual transmission get rusted out and make the shifter lever hard to move. This is a 2002 Mazda Protege 5 and I have seen this thing happen a lot on Mazdas. Lift the car and support it on jack stands, never go under the car supported only by a jack.  All you need to fix this is a torch and a can of WD40 .

There are 2 linkage bushings, one is underneath the shifter.

The other one is on the transmission.

First start by heating up one of them. Then shut the torch down and move it away. Never spray anything while you have the torch running or you going to have a nice fire. Spray WD40 on it and you will need someone else on the car moving the shifter while you are doing this.

After you finish, repeat the same thing to the other one and your hard shifting will be gone .

Comments (3)

 

  1. Tim says:
    August 11, 2011 at 7:15 am

    You are a freaking godsend! Marci, thanks, appreciate it dude!

  2. Mark Albers says:
    November 10, 2013 at 5:06 pm

    My linkage under the shifter rusted and broke off the part is over$300

  3. Camilo quinones says:
    April 9, 2017 at 4:53 am

    My car linkage fall off and the car is on reverse..Won’t shift!! Is a mazda Protege5.