Transmission problem
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Transmission problem
So I get in my 01 vette convertible (77,000) miles. She starts right up, I step on the brake and shift into drive and nothing happens. It's like the shifter is disconnected. The car is in backed into the garage stuck in park, won't move. Anybody else had this problem? Is it shift linkage? Or could it be electrical?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
You must live right if it happened in your garage.
If the cable isn't broke, buy the bushings, jack it up and snap it in.
I carry a pair of them with me in case mine break on the road.
http://www.zip-corvette.com/97-04-au...XV8aAtC28P8HAQ
If the cable isn't broke, buy the bushings, jack it up and snap it in.
I carry a pair of them with me in case mine break on the road.
http://www.zip-corvette.com/97-04-au...XV8aAtC28P8HAQ
Last edited by JR-01; Jul 28, 2016 at 04:29 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 181
Likes: 32
From: Houston Texas
Just have mine done two weeks ago. Frank's Vette fixed for me in about two hours for under $300. He was able to talk me through on how to move the shifter under the car. Once I am under the car I can see the little plastic clip is broke off. I just zip tie it together to get it over to Frank's Vette and have him go ahead and change the whole cable just in case.
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A cable with plastic ends connects the shift lever in the car to the mechanism on the side of the transmission which actually is what changes gears.
Very common C5 issue is for the plastic ends on the cable to break rendering the transmission unshiftable using the lever in the car...........
Very common C5 issue is for the plastic ends on the cable to break rendering the transmission unshiftable using the lever in the car...........
Hopefully it is as simple as this.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,011
Likes: 9
From: Dublin GA
A cable with plastic ends connects the shift lever in the car to the mechanism on the side of the transmission which actually is what changes gears.
Very common C5 issue is for the plastic ends on the cable to break rendering the transmission unshiftable using the lever in the car...........
Very common C5 issue is for the plastic ends on the cable to break rendering the transmission unshiftable using the lever in the car...........
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Just have mine done two weeks ago. Frank's Vette fixed for me in about two hours for under $300. He was able to talk me through on how to move the shifter under the car. Once I am under the car I can see the little plastic clip is broke off. I just zip tie it together to get it over to Frank's Vette and have him go ahead and change the whole cable just in case.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Cable replacement might be best option in long run.
Last edited by JR-01; Jul 29, 2016 at 04:00 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Why wouldn't the dealer replace the bushing if that's what broke and caused the failure to shift? The dealer will probably want to replace the cable too (at extra cost of course) but to not replace the failed bushing would mean the problem wouldn't be fixed, now would it?
I am not sure you can order the bushing separate from GM. The cable comes as a unit with bushings installed.
He can try. I would be interested to find out if they will do it. There was a thread a while back where they would not.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
A bearing in an alternator and a bushing on the end of a shift cable are not the same thing. That's not a good or fair analogy. But you may be right, a dealership may not be willing to replace just a broken bushing if they can replace the entire cable at a much greater cost to the customer. The fact is, the bushings at each end can be replaced very cheaply, the bushings can be bought at almost any auto parts store, but dealerships don't like to do things the easy, cheap way when they can do it the more expensive way and make more money. That's why they're commonly referred to as stealerships, it's the reputation they have that warrants the name.
Dealership don't like to do things the cheap easy way, for sure. They want to do it the best way only once.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Everyone should stand behind their work, I'm not disputing that, so that comment is ridiculous. But there may be absolutely nothing wrong with the cable but let's replace the entire cable anyway because that's what we do, instead of replacing what needs to be replaced, in this case the crappy plastic bushings at the ends of the cable. The "best way" is not always the right way (in case you didn't know).
Last edited by JR-01; Jul 29, 2016 at 08:28 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
What's the chances of a steel cable breaking vs the chances of the plastic end bushings breaking? Not even close. Replace both bushings and call it a day. But noooooo, let's be safe and replace everything we can, whether it needs to be or not. And while they have it up on the lift, why don't they change the muffler fluid as well? Don't want the mufflers to fail, now do we? 
3 out of 18 were cable breaks. Most broke at shifter.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ours-fail.html
Last edited by JR-01; Jul 29, 2016 at 08:43 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 8,900
Likes: 1,074
From: Wisconsin
Replacement as preventative maintenance is a personal choice. Not one the dealer should make for you.
BTW there are lots of things that can go wrong at a bad time and place which can cause you to be screwed. I guess if you're paranoid enough, you'd replace everything as preventative maintenance, huh?
BTW there are lots of things that can go wrong at a bad time and place which can cause you to be screwed. I guess if you're paranoid enough, you'd replace everything as preventative maintenance, huh?
Because I do take long trips, I have replaced a lot of parts on my C3 and C5 that were still functioning properly and looked just fine. I am glad I did. The cars always got me home.
The tranny cable is a common problem on C5s and I see nothing wrong with changing it if one desires to.
If you don't want to replace entire cable take it to an independent shop or do it yourself.
Last edited by JR-01; Jul 29, 2016 at 08:59 PM.