Good morning everyone.
Drove my car from the garage to the house to wash it. When I parked it, I could not shift into reverse. Not only that, Reverse, 1st, 3rd and 5th are not accessible. I don't know enough about the shifter/cable/trans mechanism to have a clue.

Anyone help?

Langg

 

Cable probably popped off the shift arm on the transmission. You have to get under the car, remove the rear underbody plastic, pop the cable back on the shift arm and wire or zip-tie it in place.

 

Agree...this is it.
Some good pictures here https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...-question.html

 

I popped mine back on (and zip-tied for security) last year without removing any underbody panels.

 

As I said, I don't understand the shift function. There are 2 cables. As I understand, the left cable is reverse and all six forward speeds are on the right cable. If that is so, how can I have 2, 4 and 6 if the cable end popped off?

Langg

 

Also, check under the shift console. Maybe one of the cables popped out in there.

 

Thats not how they work. I never realy studied them but i do know your description is wrong. U dont really need to know how they work but when the cable clips fail and they fail often the result is the shifting issue u have.

 

OK. Thanks. I will check the cable ends.

 

Odds on one cable evens on the other.

 

"I popped mine back on (and zip-tied for security) last year without removing any underbody panels."

^^^ Certainly possible^^^ I thought the rear plastic covered it...

 

Nope. One cable transmits the fore and aft part of the shifter movement and the other transmits the port and starboard aspect of the shifter movement.

Cables can pop off at either end, or the cable sheathes can lose their anchor point at either end.

I'm guessing it is the latter - one of your cables is no longer firmly attached where it is supposed to be attached to a bracket at either the shifter console assembly or at the bracket on the transmission. It is probably running into an obstruction allowing the 2,4,6 shift, but moving more freely in the R,1,3,6 direction.

Another culprit I've seen is that the caps on the ends of the sheathing come free allowing the sheathing to move when it should be fixed in place. They are held fast by a tab and slot arrangement that can be broken. For me it resulted in mushy shifts, but it was only partially detached. If it was completely separated, it could have the symptoms you describe.

As someone else said, there are small clips that hold them in (on both ends), which can fail or fall off.

Zip ties or safety wire to the rescue.

 

Just a quick note about zip ties.
Try to get the ones that are either “UL “ approved or milspec.
They are made of good nylon and have a stainless steel piece for a locking tab.
The “Chinese” ones are only plastic or a low grade of nylon.

 

I get flack every time I say this, but safety wire works great (I prefer it).

 

Thanks everyone. It was a cable popped off its mount underneath (right cable). I used safety wire. Two independent twice around applications.

Thanks again.

Langg