'99 996 stuck in 1st gear

40k miles, new (to me), 1999 996 2WD. Had car for less than a week, shifting normally at first. i often skip gears when in 3/4th coming to a complete stop, then starting in 1st. noticed after a day or two, difficult to get into reverse and first. now car wont shift out of first / feels like something "blocking" shifter as i pull back towards neutral. im told that IMS and clutch repaired 2 mos ago by dealer. ive put less than 200 miles on car. help i read several posts re shift cable, bushings, etc. altho i am handy, this seems like beyond my reach. thanks

put a search out on youtube. Scotty Kilmore is a great problem solver on there. Here is one of his videos BUTthis is a car that wont even gin IN gear. You Tube Hope you solve your problem.

The shift cable probably popped out. On passenger side of the transmission. Take zip tie or safety wire push the cable back into the clip that holds then and zip tie it or safety wire it so it won�t pop out again

Thanks to both of you for suggestions. I will try to attempt zip tie. will first need to look here for threads w images and instructions on how to access cable. best

https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...ing-clips.html the 3rd and 4th picture on the first post.

Wonderful. Much appreciated.

Those cables can also pop off under the console at the shifter handle end. However, the shifter will feel loose if it does. Nevertheless, if the cables look okay at the transaxle end, it might not be a bad idea to pull up the console and inspect the shifter mechanism. If the cables are the issue you might want to look at replacing them and there are better alternatives than the Porsche OEM version.

Thanks marv. The shifter knowbdoes feel loose, as if there is a lot of play or slop when jiggling ****, but it won't come allbthe way back into neutral. I will have to take a look at getting access to the cables as these replies have suggested, probably later this morning. Apologies for typos / brevity in responses, I am on my phone.

Disassembly (mostly) completed. I referred to the short shifter PDF as suggested. Notes 1- could not remove shifter since i could not locate hex nut 2 - did not remove lowest section of front dash above center console 3 - yes, i scratched ebrake cover. oh well. 4- rmoved a large handful of fuzz/lint from around right (black) cable head. looks like a rodent nest, but i did not find any droppings. perhaps this material should be left there. (see picture) 5 - mysterious round part, knurles black **** which turns, looks like attached to a cap. (see picture). noticed when removing ash tray/window control plugs 6- cannot see anything in front blocking movement of head of where cable attached 7 - cable clips look in place. i can manually compress spring, but shifter will not move into neutral. i do see the green tube/wire is under compression when i try to move shifter into N (while stepping on clutch). (see images). thoughts? thanks

that all looks ok to me. I say jack up (SAFELY) the right side of the car and check the shift cable if it is still in the holder. You dont have to remove the plastic tray, with a flash light, you can see and get your hand to where the shift cable connect to the transmission. Make sure you have jack stands and all precaution when underneath the car. That little gear cap thing doesn't look familiar to me at all. The fuzz lint thing is not in my car when I replaced to SSK.

Ok. I will try that. I will reassemble the console first. Thank you.

My thinking is that when the engine was dropped for the IMS and clutch, the cables were removed and replaced, causing more wear. They are notorious for failing and I suppose you could tie-wrap the existing ones in place. However, Numeric makes replacement cables that are supposed to make a significant improvement in both shifter feel and robustness. They are definitely on my short-list when I replace my clutch (had my cable slip off at the shifter ****). Perhaps they will be on yours when you inspect what's under your car.

Is that the gear for the ashtray? I never really looked at it that closely to know for sure.

good thought Tex, thats about when i noticed it dropped out of wherever it ws attached.

With the engine off, can you shift into all gears?

Cannot shift out if 1st into N whether or not engine is on or off. Clutch depressed, if course. Well even without depressing clutch it won't shift. There is more left to right play then I think there should be. Almost as if engine in 1st, cable not connected or loose *lots of slop* and something solid preventing backward pull into N.

Have you checked your shift cables? The retaining clips are a known problem and just need to be zip tied or wired back in place.

Maybe I can help since I just had this problem, except I was stuck in third gear. I had just picked my car up from having the whole clutch, RMS, IMS job done when it happened. Ended up being the white plastic piece on the shifter cable on the transmission end. It had come off and would not let the cable slide back and forth to disengage, which also resulted in a lot of slack since it could move in each direction until the arm pinched the piece against the transmission. I just used a zip tie for now and I have not had any problems yet. Sounds identical to your problem. In the image below the white piece is circled (ignore the upper circled item).

Thanks .... my issue was the cables should have been replaced when the IMS and clutch were replaced a few mos ago (before I bought car). so I am having the cable replaced, my Indy told me it was time for a new cable. I'm ok w that, I want to feel safe while I or a family member us driving.

Unless they are broken (like the cable inside the sheath), I think your indy just took you for a ride. Most of the time, this is easily remedied by a zip tie or a safety wire.

Perhaps, yes. thanks all for the input. now, to do something about that terrible radio, it's poor reception, and nearly unusable UI and controls. drive safely