Hey all. So I took my 2012 CS (6spd) out for a spin on one of the few nicer days recently. A few back road miles in mostly 2nd/3rd around 4k rpm. No aggressive shifting or anything out of the ordinary. When I went to hop on the highway to head home, I couldn't get the car into 2nd on the first attempt, second try it went ok, once I got to 3/4, I could only shift between 3 and 4 - the shifter felt mechanically jammed. I was able to limp it home between 3 and 4, but once I parked at the house, the shifter wouldn't come out of third.
I looked under the car at the shift cable I could see and everything appeared ok. Debated tearing into the console, but figured since I have an extended warranty, I'd let it slide.
Getting ready for the tow truck, I had to get the car out of gear due to my driveway, so I went in and man-handled the shifter enough that there was an audible pop and from there on, the shifter appeared to function normally. I didn't tempt fate and only used Reverse & 1st.
Fast forward to the dealer and their initial 'diagnostics', which included just a test drive and visual inspection of the trans side linkage didn't show any issues. My concern is (aside from having to pay the diagnostic fee for digging into it further) is if this happens again in a more dangerous situation. I went ahead and gave the ok to pull the console apart, but I don't have a lot of hope they'll find a causal factor.
I've read plenty of posts about broken cables, but that doesn't appear to be the case here. It seems as if some bushing or whatnot in the shifter popped out and popped back in, but I don't know if the dealer will be able to nail that down. Has anyone experienced anything similar? If they don't find an issue, I'm stuck between throwing parts at it (Numeric shifter+cables) or crossing my fingers and hoping it doesn't occur again.
TIA.
Dealer took the console apart to inspect and said there's no smoking gun, so no definitive cure. Two hours of labor ($340) down the drain. Based on the way it failed, I don't have high confidence that this won't happen again. So if it does, I guess the only COA is leave it stuck and let the tow truck drag it up and see what the dealer says.
Very frustrating.
Or drive it to the dealer's lot and leave it until they can look at it. I've not had anything quite like that but once in a while I have trouble getting it in second gear on downshift. But I can work it loose and all is OK. I have a GT3 shifter and Numeric cables. BTW, the GT3 shifter is the same throw as stock, but has metal bushings so they don't wear as fast and less slop.
A similar thing happened to my friend's 986 Boxster. It got stuck in 3rd gear.
We took the console apart and everything was fine.
It turned out to be the cables.
At the end attached to the transmission, there are nylon bushings crimped into the cable ends that the cable slides in. There are rubber covers over these bushings. The rubber cover and bushing slid down along the cable causing it to jam.
We were able to move them back in place and recrimp them. No problems since.
You may want to have them see if yours have a similar design.
Two thoughts - If it is worn plastic bearings in the shifter you may want to consider replacing them with the Function First kit:
FUNCTION-FIRST > Shift-Right Solution
If it turns out to be the shift cable connectors at the transmission there is a Function First replacement cable connector kit as well.
FUNCTION-FIRST > Shifter Cable Ends
I just said the hell with it and ordered the Numeric bundle.
Good choice. You'll be amazed how much better the shifting is with the Numeric cables.
I have a 2008 Cayman S. Last week I installed the Numeric shifter and love the way it makes shifts a bit shorter (on the middle setting) and a lot more precise. I especially like that downshifts are more accurate and 5th and 6th gears no longer require a long reach.
I'm using the factory cables, but did buy a new stock cable end, the snap-on one. That was a $17 bargain. Pulling the console apart was straight forward when using Numeric's instructions, coupled with a good DIY writeup that came from either this forum or ********.
