HELP! tranny is gonna die?

[gookluck2010]

I think I am just of bad luck...

Recently bought a 2006 mazda3 hatchback with 80k km on it. Today I found it can't be started, which was because it can't be shifted to P gear. I tried several times and it worked some times but still failed to be shifted to P a lot of times.

So is the tranny gonna die? Anybody else has experienced this?

Another question is: now it is still under the powertrain warranty. However, the previous owner doesn't have any service records. Do you guys think Mazda will cover my car?

Thanks a lot!

[Krazy]

unless you can find the records at a mazda dealership... I doubt they will cover your 2006 Mazda 3 under warranty....

They won't cover anything they don't have to. lol

[WhiteSpeed3]

It's not the tranny it's the shift selector corroded just needs to be cleaned up or the shift solenoid

[gookluck2010]

too bad..
I just talked to one of my friends who is a technician. He said it might not be the tranny itself. It could be the tranny control module or something. Any thoughts guys?

Thanks!

[gookluck2010]

Yeah, WhiteSpeed3, this is what my friend told me. So how much might it be to clean it up? Do I have to do this in a dealership?

Thanks!


It's not the tranny it's the shift selector corroded just needs to be cleaned up or the shift solenoid

[xxSlidewaysxx]

you can always start it in neutral.......

[gookluck2010]

Yeah, I did it today. But if I park the car without the tranny fully in P gear, will it do harm to the tranny itself?

you can always start it in neutral.......

[Noisy Crow]

Yeah, I did it today. But if I park the car without the tranny fully in P gear, will it do harm to the tranny itself?

Nope. Just leave it in gear or in neutral and use the parking brake, just like with a manual tranny.

[gookluck2010]

So you guys mean that I don't even have to get it fixed? Just start the car in Neutral and park it at Neutral? Thanks!

Nope. Just leave it in gear or in neutral and use the parking brake, just like with a manual tranny.

[Noisy Crow]

So you guys mean that I don't even have to get it fixed? Just start the car in Neutral and park it at Neutral? Thanks!

Well.... let's put it this way.... it probably IS the shift selector mechanism (Can't possibly be the shift-interlock solenoid, as that is part of the ignition-lock mechanism).

If it is the shift selector mechanism, it should be fairly cheap to fix, as everything is easily accessible. If the issue is inside the tranny it should be covered by warranty even without service records--- it's not like the engine where you need to change the oil every 8000 kms.

[TheMAN]

Nope. Just leave it in gear or in neutral and use the parking brake, just like with a manual tranny.

you can't take the key out without the shifter in "P" in an auto car

[TheMAN]

So you guys mean that I don't even have to get it fixed? Just start the car in Neutral and park it at Neutral? Thanks!

there was a bulletin for this issue where the shifter cable plate gets rusted and causes it to be slightly out of position which makes the range sensor to not pickup correctly what you've selected... the other symptom to this problem is not seeing any of the shift indicators light up on the gauge cluster... it normally should show "P" when the shifter is in "P"... sometimes shaking the shifter while still in "P" may get it to light up and allow the car to start

[Noisy Crow]

you can't take the key out without the shifter in "P" in an auto car

Gah, shows you how long I've been driving a stick!

[g_tsb]

theres supposed to be some type of cord tightened with your shifter, i had the same issue... brought it to my mechanic and he tightened the cord and it works fine, if the problem still occurs, the car will start in neutral lol