Toyota Auris 1.4 D4D 2007 won't downshift from 4th to 3rd

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice on a specific shifting issue with my 2007 Toyota Auris 1.4 D4D (Manual).

I cannot shift from 4th gear into 3rd gear while the car is moving. It feels like hitting a physical wall, no grinding or noise, just a total lockout.

Upshifting is fine 2nd to 3rd gear works perfectly. Also others gears no problem at all. From 1st to 5th to reverse. I can select 3rd gear easily when the car is stopped.

The car recently sat in snow/freezing temperatures for 5 days.

There is no “crunching” or grinding sound.

And it was suddenly no prior symptoms. I moved my car after 5 days stucked in snow and cold weather to change my tires. Next day trying to shift down from 4th to 3rd and it failed. I have tried double clutch or rev match. I have to bring it from 4th to 2nd and than to 3rd.

Could this be moisture frozen/trapped in the shifter cables, or perhaps a linkage issue caused by the cold? Has anyone experienced this?