# 2003 Subaru Forester 5-speed **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** forester, subaru\ **Created:** [February 24, 2025, 9:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-subaru-forester-5-speed/199270 "2025-02-24T21:58:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![greg3809](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@greg3809](https://community.cartalk.com/u/greg3809)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 9:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-subaru-forester-5-speed/199270/1 "2025-02-24T21:58:04Z")
5-speed slack in shifter won’t go in 4th or reverse it grinds what can I do ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 10:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-subaru-forester-5-speed/199270/2 "2025-02-24T22:13:40Z")
Will it shift with the engine off? ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-subaru-forester-5-speed/199270/3 "2025-02-24T23:34:01Z")
You might try taking it to a shop. It sounds like you may have shifter problem and or internal transmissions problems. I think if it was a straight clutch problem it would grind going into any gear. ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 12:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-subaru-forester-5-speed/199270/4 "2025-02-25T00:51:58Z")
I understand transmission repair shops handle this kind of thing regularly. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 1:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-subaru-forester-5-speed/199270/5 "2025-02-25T01:47:53Z")
Do you want to repair it yourself? ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 3:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-subaru-forester-5-speed/199270/6 "2025-02-25T03:19:00Z")
Sounds like the shift cable bushings or something are worn out… IIRC It’s a double cable, one works the shifter forward/backward, the other side to side, the F/B cable might be stretched or even a shift fork bent… Make sure the trans fluid is full… If you can get to the trans shift levers, make sure the shifter is fully engaging the lever on the transmission, you can remove the cable from the trans and see if it will fully engage then… I would have all 4 wheels off the ground for safety while doing this… You might need to take this to a shop for proper diagnostic… ---
**Author:** ![greg3809](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@greg3809](https://community.cartalk.com/u/greg3809)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 7:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-subaru-forester-5-speed/199270/7 "2025-02-28T19:15:35Z")
Yes I’d like to would it be inside or out of transmission ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 11:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2003-subaru-forester-5-speed/199270/8 "2025-02-28T23:43:32Z")
The linkage and cables are outside the transmission. Check YouTube for instructions on how to handle it.