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Transmission is stuck in gear

Tiny
UNSCARRED785
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 FORD ESCORT
  • 144,000 MILES
Five speed standard transmission stuck in gear. When stick is in neutral still in gear. When clutch is let out car bogs down and stalls this transmission problem started while I was driving. I down shifted into second gear to get enough power to get off the road then the shift problems started.

no matter where I move the shifter if I let out on the clutch the motor bogs and wants to stall like the brake is on but it is not. If you shut the car off and push in the clutch the car rolls easily. What can I look for? Did something in the transmission break?
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Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 AT 5:51 AM

10 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Hello,

Yes, there is an internal breakage inside the transmission causing it to be in two gears at once. The transmission will need to be removed and disassembled to be fixed.

Please let us know what happens. I am curious. ;)

Cheers, Ken
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Friday, May 26th, 2017 AT 8:54 PM
Tiny
MATTMATT
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • FORD ESCORT
Hi guys, first of all, thank you so much for the time and effort you put into helping people with their car troubles. I have an 2003 Ford Escort ZX2 with 110,000 miles on it. It is the 1.9L SOHC, and I have a manual transmission. My problem is that the transmission is stuck in a gear and I cannot get it out. It even shuts off in neutral. I was driving on the highway and I shifted from second to third pretty fast and rough and missed third, grinding the gears. After I came off the highway it seemed okay at first but as I once again shifted from second to third I found that third gear was missing, there was no difference between third and neutral. Then minutes later I came to a stop and shifted into first, I could not get the car to go anywhere. Even in neutral the car would die if you let the clutch out. Which is why I suspect it to be broken in gear. Please help me with any assistance as to what the problem may be, how it can be fixed, and how much you think it may cost. Any information is helpful. And thank you again for your help.

Matt
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Friday, May 26th, 2017 AT 8:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BRUCE HUNT
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,754 POSTS
The shutting off is most likely due to it being in gear at the time, which one I do not know. You are not able to get it in to neutral. It might seem to be neutral to you but the transmission is still in gear. I would start by checking the shift cable/linkage to the transmission. There are usually two and one may be loose, etc. They could be out of adjustment. After that.
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Friday, May 26th, 2017 AT 8:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MATTMATT
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Okay, I will try that and get back to you. Thanks.
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Friday, May 26th, 2017 AT 8:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ROGER SHARP
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I have a 1998 Ford Escort. It was driving fine and my wife drove it to work an the only gear it will go in is fourth. Also, the back-up lights are on. It is like it is stuck in that one gear.
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Friday, April 20th, 2018 AT 4:58 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
That sounds like something inside the transmission has broken. Does the shifter move into the gears and that do not work or you cannot move the shifter?

Please let us know.

Cheers, Ken
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Saturday, April 21st, 2018 AT 11:46 AM
Tiny
TOMMY.BUREL
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I just had this problem today. Rough shift into third then it would only go into fourth. Limped it home, now it will shut off in neutral and will shift into reverse, but will not engage and shuts off as soon as I release the clutch. 2002 Escort ZX2.
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Thursday, April 26th, 2018 AT 8:01 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
What happens on these cars is the shift mechanism breaks inside the transmission or the final drive gears go bad causing the transmission to be locked up. But to be sure the brakes are not held on roll the car in neutral.
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Thursday, April 26th, 2018 AT 4:11 PM
Tiny
BDADDY530
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 FORD ESCORT
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 115,000 MILES
My 98 ford escort manual trans is stuck in third gear. The shifter moves freely and the shifter even goes into other gear positions and sounds like gears are engaging but it is still in third. It was sometimes hard to shift into first or reverse before getting stuck. What could the problem be?
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Saturday, June 8th, 2019 AT 11:38 AM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
It may be internal damage like a broken synchro or fork. Have an assistant try to move gears and check for broken pieces where arrows are or rods not moving.
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Saturday, June 8th, 2019 AT 11:38 AM (Merged)

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