# 03 corolla shifter gets stuck **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** corolla, toyota\ **Created:** [November 18, 2016, 10:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/03-corolla-shifter-gets-stuck/96554 "2016-11-18T10:27:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jay\_Sanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@Jay\_Sanchez](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jay_Sanchez)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2016, 10:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/03-corolla-shifter-gets-stuck/96554/1 "2016-11-18T10:27:36Z")
Hello guys! I was wondering if you guys can help me out? I got a 2003 corolla automatic. Recently i had the engine replaced at 150k. After that the shifter started acting up, i dont know how that can be related also at start up it seems like ot wants to drag once in a while. As if it was starving for oxygen or fuel but theres no codes or engine light ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Sanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@Jay\_Sanchez](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jay_Sanchez)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2016, 10:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/03-corolla-shifter-gets-stuck/96554/2 "2016-11-18T10:28:11Z")
Hope someone can help me with this šŸ¤” ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/03-corolla-shifter-gets-stuck/96554/3 "2016-11-18T16:17:30Z")
ā€œActing upā€ is a tough problem to diagnose. And ā€œwants to dragā€ also. Try being a little more descriptive of the symptoms. ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Sanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@Jay\_Sanchez](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jay_Sanchez)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 3:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/03-corolla-shifter-gets-stuck/96554/4 "2016-11-20T03:31:08Z")
Well unfortunately things got worse now. So i was driving to this place, when i reached my destination i cane to a sudden stop so i try putting my shifter in ā€œparkā€. As i tried the shifter got stuck again like all the other times. I tried putting a lil bit more strength and then it got unstuck but i sounded lil a crack. Now remember i was teying to put it in ā€œparkā€ when it did the car kept going forward as if i had never even moved it to park. Now my car wont start i have a suspicion its because the shifter might have broken somewhere under the center console,hoping its not my transmission. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 4:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/03-corolla-shifter-gets-stuck/96554/5 "2016-11-20T04:39:55Z")
Probably shifter cable gut stuck/kinked during engine R&R. Take it to the shop that did the work. ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Sanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@Jay\_Sanchez](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jay_Sanchez)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/03-corolla-shifter-gets-stuck/96554/6 "2016-11-20T18:50:05Z")
I tried switching gears by hand but it wont budge is that normal? I dnt think so if it was just a linkage problem the trans should still move gears am i right? ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 9:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/03-corolla-shifter-gets-stuck/96554/7 "2016-11-20T21:44:07Z")
Unfortunately, a reputable shop is going to have to look at this one. It could be as basic as a maladjusted shifter. The shifter is actually connected to the tranny by cables, and they need to be correctly adjusted to work properly. It probably wonā€™t start because the maladjusted shifter isnā€™t properly activating the ā€œlockoutā€ safety relay that prevents you from starting the car in DRIVE. Hereā€™s hoping my wild guess is correct. If it is, this should be easy to fix. šŸ˜Œ ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Sanchez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@Jay\_Sanchez](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jay_Sanchez)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/03-corolla-shifter-gets-stuck/96554/8 "2016-11-29T17:21:38Z")
Thanx to everyone who replied i was able to find out that the problem infact was the shifter cable it got stuck. I replaced it with a new ine and now the yota is back to shifting good! šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 4:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/03-corolla-shifter-gets-stuck/96554/9 "2016-11-30T04:50:54Z")
Glad you are back on the road there Jay. Best of luck. Yeah, engine replacement can shift stuff around and pinch cables, wires, electrical connectors forgot to be reconnected, and the like. So often thereā€™s some stuff needing correcting after the jobs seems to be completed. No worries, you got things under control it appears. Good for you. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 7:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/03-corolla-shifter-gets-stuck/96554/10 "2016-11-30T07:09:37Z")
Sincere thanks for the follow up post. Good news is always good to hear. Happy motoring.