Shifter not returning to neutral?

[Kroze]

Does anyone know how to fix this? Whenever I shift out of gear, the shifter will stick to the left or right instead of returning to neutral (right in between 3rd & 4th) gear.

It's annoying because I have to be careful when upshift out of 2nd and into 3rd gear. I accidentally shifted into 5th because the stick never return to neutral.

2002 Acura RSX Base.

 

[Vette73]

Probable something in the shift linkage. Only way to know is to look at it and see if anythign is binding or if its just worn out.

 

[IcePickFreak]

Yeah most likely just the linkage needs to be adjusted, sounds like the individual shift rods (1-2, 3-4, 5-R) need to be realigned. Or at least in principal as I'm not sure what kind of linkage Honda/Acura uses.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Probably not a big deal if it's selecting gears properly and not grinding or falling out of gear.

Usually there's a small spring or two used to center the gear lever when the car is out of gear, that's probably broken or slipped off its attachment point.

ZV

 

[Kroze]

Where is this spring at in the picture?

 

[Zenmervolt]

Where is this spring at in the picture?

Either integral in part #1, or in the transmission itself. On my 951, for example, it's in the transaxle; the linkage operates on a pin that comes out of the transaxle and there's a mechanism in the transaxle which returns the pin to a default position if no gear is selected. Because the shift rod is connected to that pin, when the pin "centers", it likewise forces the shift rod to center. It's not technically part of the linkage since the linkage only runs from the pin on the transaxle to the shift lever.

In general, a mal-adjusted linkage will result in grinding or falling out of gear, or an inability or difficulty in selecting certain gears.

ZV

 

[TonyH]

Where is this spring at in the picture?

If there's a spring anywhere in those components it would be in the shift lever housing. If not there it will be in the transmission.

Is this something that has just recently happened or has it always been this way?

 

[Kroze]

If there's a spring anywhere in those components it would be in the shift lever housing. If not there it will be in the transmission.

Is this something that has just recently happened or has it always been this way?

I bought the car with 92k miles and it wasn't doing as much as it is now. I gotten worse now with 98k miles.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Something might be just getting hung up. Try cleaning the cables at the transmission end.

ZV

 

[CraigRT]

It does sound like the spring for your side/side movement of the shifter.

I know on the Saturn the spring is in the shift tower in the trans. Not sure if there is one in the shifter assembly or not. I don't think there is.

+1 on cleaning the cables up.