2003 PT Cruiser frozen shift

Chrysler PT Cruiser with manual tranny (GETRAC) and 2.4 turob engine. Up north here in Ohio, shifting into gear was stiff when leaving the garage in the AM. When trying to return home from work where car was parked outside all day, could barely be shifted. Hardly would shift to 2nd only and would not allow anyother gear. Is the oil in the gear box frozen and what can the remedy be? Has never happened before, but we have dropped to 2 to 3 degrees F all day. Hows them apples for global warming?



Thank You

Sorry It Took So Long To Respond. I Was Waiting For Someboby Else To Handle This!

Since nobody did, I’ll see if I can get this going. There were about 800 of these built with a pin that fell out in the clutch / flywheel area and resulted in a recall. They were made only for a short time around October 2002(?) Are you the original owner? Are you the original owner? Have you ever been notified of a recall? I think if this pin falls out then you can’t disengage the clutch at all, so that’s probably not it. Look at the end of your door for the manufatured date (date of mfg xx/02 or xx/03). A dealer can check your VIN number for recalls.

How’s that for grasping at straws?

I don’t know what lube is in that gearbox. I think some cars even use ATF, now. The old 85 or 90 weight would cause a problem, but I wouldn’t think something thinner would. What does your Owner’s Manual call for? I don’t know where the linkage or shift cable(s) are routed on these. Could ice be in there? Maybe the cable freezes a little. I think I just played all my cards for now.

By the way, we are now at the beginning of the Mini-Ice-Age-Stage of the Global Warming Hoax, for your information.

OK, somebody else take a shot, please.

Commonsense answer: Thank you for your response. Our temps went up into the low 20s today and there is no problem with shifting. It seems to occour only when it goes to the low teens or lower. The owner is the original and it was purchased after the recalls on the tranny problem. He thinks it has something to do with the master cylinder and the slave which are part of the hydralic shifting mechanism. We discussed the possibility of a cable freeze up, but to our best, the system is hydralic.
He plans to pull his vehicle into the shop where he works when the temp goes real low and overnight it is always garaged, so at least a temp solution.

Boy, I’d move to Texas in a flash to get out of this cold but my wife hates wheather and up here she doesn’t have hot flashes.

Have a nice holiday and stay safe.