Stuck in Neutral

STEFFANYADELMAN

MEMBER
1999 MERCURY COUGAR
10,000 MILES

99 Cougar - Shifter seems to be stuck in neutral everywhere. It will go into the spot where the gear is but can wiggle back and forth up and down. Please Help! V6

Friday, March 23rd, 2012 AT 9:07 PM

7 Replies

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

So you have a manual transmission?If so the first thing I would do is check the cable ends where it hooks to the transmission and shifter. See if the cable came off or broke?

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Friday, March 23rd, 2012 AT 9:16 PM

STEFFANYADELMAN

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4 POSTS

Already checked for that. It was the first thing I could think of. Shifted from fourth into 5th and it just went into neutral. You can move the levers easily with your hand, they don't click.

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Friday, March 23rd, 2012 AT 9:37 PM

SATURNTECH9

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Have you tried watching the linkage on the transmission while having someone shift thru gears inside the car?To see if the linkage is moving like it should?

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Friday, March 23rd, 2012 AT 9:50 PM

STEFFANYADELMAN

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4 POSTS

Yes. I thought it might even be stretched or something, but it doesn't seem to be the problem. Thank you so much for getting back to me. Do you have any other suggestions?

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Friday, March 23rd, 2012 AT 9:53 PM

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,870 POSTS

If your sure the cables are attached and the linkage is moving on the transmission like it should. The only thing left is the transmission itself thats why I wanted you to make sure it was. It makes more sense something happened to the linkage then the transmission from what happened.