GoBallsDeep!

I was at the carwash today and when I went to leave, I shifted into D and the shifter was loose feeling(like it was connected to nothing). Since I already had this problem before (it the linkage to the tranny that time). I just called my brother and asked to bring my roll jack. He got there, I jacked up the rear and found the lever on the tranny, started it and made sure I moved the lever to D, had him put on the brake, slid out, jacked down and took off home. I did notice that this time it was not the tranny linkage.... I figured shifter.

After taking my console and shifter out, I noticed this:


after futher inspection, I found this:

The bushing was dry rotted and cracked

Went to Autozone and found these..

Dug out the rotted bushing..

New bushing going in. I used vice grips..

Bushing in...


Then I just snapped it in and re assembled

I hope this can help someone out

madmatt9471

That is fantastic and a great fix along with pictures and part numbers

Thanks for the great work and many more great A4 shifting miles

Just glad it's not a MN6 with a bad Throw out bearing! or slave cylinder leaving you stranded

Thanks,Matt

slvr bulit

Nice job glad you got it fixed

olbear1962

Great info thanks

peter pan

Way to use your brain on the DIY fix

Vetteman Jack

Thanks for the info and the writeup on this - will save it for later use if needed.

psint

The part number on the bushing kit is 14041. Worked like a champ !!

Mister Peebody

Search "atfspeed" on the internet and you will find a pin replacement that repairs the tranny end of the cable. I guess this bushing kit may work for that also, though. I will be trying this repair on the shifter end tomorrow. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

Mister Peebody

Worked like a charm. I don't see this bushing kit repairing the transmission end of the cable, but it works great for the shifter end of the cable. The "atfspeed" part works for the transmission end of the cable. As of today, I have repaired both ends of my cable. Let's hope it lasts.

Marble Falls

I know this is an old thread, but thanks for taking the time to shoot pics and post. In the process of replacing the same $6 bushing (kit) now and probably would have spent hundreds on towing and having a new cable installed otherwise. Thanks again

Mastertvtech

Be sure to take some of your own pictures...Can't have enough for reference if/when this happens....

R2R

I just did the fix at the bottom of the auto shifter. I viewed a youtube video by 'froggy' to see how to remove all the trim and housing stuff. Straightforward as the video shows where the hidden screws are located. Once you get the trim loose you will need to move the shifter backward to get the big piece of trim out of the way. Once at the shifter just remove the 10mm nuts (4x), you will have to take a small flat blade screwdriver and pry the small cable up and out of its retainer (this is the one that goes toward the front of car)to get to 10mm nut located at the top left. Gently pull the auto shifter up to witness whether the linkage has come off the ball. If so, lift the shifter assy (you do not have to take boot or shift button off) up and out of the way. Pull the shifter cable - big cable with rubber conduit over it - upward and make sure to remove all broken junk out of the socket. NOTE: if you have to move the car you can pull and push this rubber covered cable into any gear you want to start the car and move it. For the fix: Use the next to the smallest bushing from the Dorman 14041 pack. I snapped it, tapered end first into the cable with a pair of pliers and then could not get the shifter ball to snap in place. So, I pried the bushing out with a small screwdriver and promptly dropped it straight down into the torque tube chamber. Long thin electricians screwdriver reached down there and I was able to wiggle it back up to me. So then I snapped the bushing onto the ball end of the shift lever, again with some pliers for leverage, because that dang thing is hard to snap on. Next, I rolled the shift lever down into place and used the pliers again to snap the cable onto the shifter with the bushing on it. About 2 hours total work start to finish. I have new bushing on both ends now. Hope they last another 15 years.

Florida Mike

Mine just broke on me today! Fortunately it was while backing out of my driveway so I just kept backing and backed it up across the yard and into the garage!

So I guess even with headaches we all get lucky sometime?!

So to fix this (if the cable isn't broken obviously) all I need is the Dorman pack of bushings? Really? I don't need the kit sold buy other sources or the atfspeed kit? Or should I get and replace the pin atfspeed sells while I have it all apart?

And no exhaust or tunnel plate removal? C'mon...don't tease me!

Thanks for a great writeup!

Mike

R2R

So, first you are going to have to determine the cable actually came off one end or the other - either at the transmission end or the bottom of the shifter. The tranny end will be easiest, but you have to crawl under the car to visual, or feel. Start at the tranny end, view pictures of C5 Transmission on ebay or google to see the lever and ball you are looking for so once under the car you give yourself a chance. The gear selector lever on the transmission will be very closely in line with the rear of the drivers door and is on the drivers side of the car. You have to get up in between the exhaust pipe to see it and lay hands on it. If the cable is off the ball end of the lever you have found the problem, and the 14041 Dorman bushing kit is what you need - this package has various sized plastic bushings and I believe second to smallest it the right one. I've seen a guy snap the bushing into the cable and onto the ball by hand, but I needed more leverage to do so. Anyway, with determination you can do it. Be safe under there. If it's not that end look at youtube for a video by Froggy to see how to get to the bottom of the shift lever (PRNDL) and that is straight forward on the bottom of that ball lever also. Clean all the old bushing out of either end of the cable before snapping in new bushings. I figured the bushings on my cable ends lasted 14 years, so I just went with new plastic bushings. Might be smart to both ends at once so you don't fail the other end in a years time.

Florida Mike

Thanks for the tips R2R. I will be tackling this next weekend so will follow your advice.

I appreciate the input!

Mike

Florida Mike

So as one final question...if you do both ends do you need two sets of Dorman bushing kits as it sounds like being various sizes, there is only one of the needed size per pack.

R2R

Yes you will need two.

Florida Mike

Thanks!!!

Florida Mike

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

So I am doing this today following these great instruction to a T. EVERYTHING is going perfectly and all the previous adive is right on the money including which bushing to use and how to press them in place.

Then I BEEP up big time. I am putting the shifter back in place and apparently lift it 1/32nd too high to clear the mounting studs and SNAP, the BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP shft cable guide tube breaks. BEEP BEEPer.

I swear, I KNEW it was fragile as the GM Service Manual says it is and I never thought I was lifting out of a straight line that much. Honestly I lifted it only enough to clear the mounting studs but sure enough, it broke. What kind of cable that is deisgned to be flexible breaks when moved that slightly? The brake cables on my rusty 30 year old Schwinn bicycle are still more flexible than that!

So now I have to buy a new shift cable and jack up the car, take off the exhaust and tunnel cover. Urgh. What was going to be a 2 hour job will now be two days.

Ya know I love this car but for a $50k with only 25k miles, it sure does have alot of stuff break on it. I am planning on buying one new in 5 years or so...I sure hope the quality has improved.

OK, enough whining.

The question is, does anyone know where to buy a shift cable that is more bulletproof or better than the really crappy and weak OEM one?

Thanks

Mike

R2R

Mike, what is the failure mode? The gear selector has no tension, no click into each gear? I ask because when I did mine something 'clicked loudly, like a snap' but everything works as it should.