Second Gear on Manual
 

2006 1LT, 2.4L, 5-speed.

The trans has shifted perfectly its whole life (183K miles now). When I fixed the engine earlier this year, I replaced the clutch, pressure plate, and slave cylinder/throwout bearing.

This morning during driving, I put it into second gear and there was grinding and it popped out of gear. I thought I did a bad shift, so I put it back in second. The same thing happens. Every other gear works perfectly. Second just grinds, even if I hold it in gear against the stop.

Any ideas? I don't think its a bad cable because the other gears work fine. This happening suddenly makes me think something broke. Synchro? Gear? Shift fork?

Steve

Something internal as you suggest, can’t be sure until you tear down the transmission or replace it with a used one, cause this says a new one is spendy

https://www.wholesalegmpartsonline.c.../90511189.html

Could be the linkage, check the connectors on the trans first then the shifter (since that's harder to do).

4th is good?

Yes 4th is good.

For now I am driving it and skipping 2nd gear.

Steve

Great wait for a caution, then get a look at it. So, your a NASCAR fan.

Hopefully it's not serious or costly. As Don suggested, take a look at the linkage. May be something simple like one of the cables is loose or isn't clamped down good in the holder/connector.
Dug up this old pic from yesteryear. Shows where the cables should be clamped firmly in the bracket.
Attachment 45783

I was playing around with second gear today and noticed something. If the car was decelerating and I downshifted into second, it stays in gear and you get the normal engine braking. The second you touch the accelerator pedal, it pops out, even if I am holding the shift lever against the stop in second.

So it seems the gear itself is ok. Whatever mechanism that keeps it in gear under acceleration is what is causing the problem.

I checked the underhood end of the shift cables. They looked OK. I will take the console apart so I can see the other end of the shift cables.

Steve

Attachment 45806

In other words: the shifter linkage.

Hey fastsuv.

How's about an update ?

Well, the update isn't what you expected.

I was temporarily driving it by skipping second gear until I had a chance to check the cables and tranny.

Last Tuesday an old guy made a left turn directly into my car and hit it. I swerved onto the grass next to the road which gave him enough time to stop, as he was going slow. He made no attempt to stop and hit me directly in the drivers side front wheel and fender. When he got out, he could barely stand and walk with a cane. He was probably incapable of hitting the brakes like a normal person would be due to his medical condition. Looks like a case of someone that should have given up driving due to medical and age issues. If he can barely stand without a cane he certainly can't respond quickly in case of an emergency and hit the brakes fast.

My car had the lower control arm broken and the fender damaged along with the headlight. He hit my front wheel and left black tire marks on the rim.

I'ts his fault, but today the insurance company will look at my car and will probably declare it totalled because its 11 yrs old and has 180K miles on it.

I would like to buy it back from the insurance company for the salvage value and have it towed to my house. Then I'll look and see if I can fix it or use it as spare parts for my other HHRs.

Steve