# Manual transmission problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** protege, mazda\ **Created:** [February 19, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manual-transmission-problem/77482 "2013-02-19T14:00:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JForman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@JForman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JForman)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manual-transmission-problem/77482/1 "2013-02-19T14:00:36Z")
about a week ago, I noticed my stick shift sitting a little lower than normal, and now I have to actually engage clutch, then pull upward on the stick shift before I can shift gears without a problem, if I do not pull up, the car just won’t shift. Any suggestions? ---
**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 19, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manual-transmission-problem/77482/2 "2013-02-19T15:26:23Z")
What kind of car? Transmission? Other than see a trans shop? ---
**Author:** ![JForman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@JForman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JForman)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manual-transmission-problem/77482/3 "2013-02-19T15:41:17Z")
93 mazda protege, manual trans, stock ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manual-transmission-problem/77482/4 "2013-02-19T19:45:53Z")
If the position of the shift lever has changed/dropped, I would suspect possible broken transmission mounts. At the very least, there is a problem with the shift linkage. A visit to a reputable mechanic ( **NOT** a chain operation like Midas, Meineke, Monro, Sears, Pep Boys, AAMCO, etc) is needed at this point. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manual-transmission-problem/77482/5 "2013-02-19T20:20:51Z")
I’d get the car towed to a shop. Your FWD car is configured with the transmission attached to the motor. It sounds like either the shift is falling off where it attaches to the floor pan, or worse the motor is falling out of the car. Get this evaluated and fixed, but stop driving the car until you do. Do you drive in a winter area with salted and treated winter roads? The car might be showing signs of severe rust damage to the structural supports in the front end. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manual-transmission-problem/77482/6 "2013-02-19T21:02:54Z")
Maybe just a broken bushing. Do you squeeze the lever real tight when shifting or rest your hand on it when cruising along? ---
**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:** [February 19, 2013, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manual-transmission-problem/77482/7 "2013-02-19T23:37:06Z")
From this side of the www we are all just making our best guesses but Turbo may be on the right track if the car is on salted roads and it might be worthwhile to get it up in the air for a good mechanic to inspect. ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![JForman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@JForman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JForman)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manual-transmission-problem/77482/8 "2013-02-20T06:17:30Z")
Not a real salt heavy area…and aside from the lever position, and pulling up, no difference in sound, or anything else. I do sometimes rest my hand on the lever, but, this car is one year old to me, previous owner may have been rougher on things than I am. ---
**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:** [February 20, 2013, 6:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manual-transmission-problem/77482/9 "2013-02-20T06:27:49Z")
If the lever is free to be lifted straight up there is certainly something loose in the mechanism and the first thing to come to mind is the attachment of the shift pot to the floor. You might remove the shift boot and inspect the system. ---
**Author:** ![JForman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@JForman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JForman)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 10:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/manual-transmission-problem/77482/10 "2013-02-20T10:57:14Z")
Will do, I appreciate the answers folks, wish ya all the best.