1st 3rd 5th Pop outs
 

Ok so this problem came up today. I pulled into a parking lot and it was difficult to push it into first gear, I pushed it in and it popped out as soon as I let off the gas. I then noticed it is the same for 3rd and 5th. When I parked I saw that the bottom row, 2nd 4th 6th, slide in super easy and probably even farther than they should. I can drive the car if I hold it in gear on 1st 3rd and 5th but I feel its a simple fix, stretched linkage? hopefully not synchros? I just don't see it it being synchros when they all happened at once.


Car is a 2007 mazdaspeed3 with 101k miles on it. No mods to shifter, never even took the cover off until today.

Any ideas/help appreciated

Go look at your linkage in the bay. You can shift the car from there by pulling the cables. Then go look at your shifter assembly. Maybe you popped one of the clips out.

I took off the boot and cover, I can get it into each gear easy now. the problem is when decelerating, like if I take first up to 10 mph and let off the gas but dont push the clutch in it will pop out. same for third, at for example 30 mph and let off without clutch, it will pop out. and so on with 5th. but 2nd and 4th and 6th are perfectly fine.

Ahh. Likely syncros then.

wouldnt it be weird for 1st 3rd and 5th synchros to go out at the exact same time?

In some research I have found that this problem happened on a different ms3, and in that case the linkage like bent, to where it couldnt go into a section. it was poorly answered thread. I also found a problem with a s2k where the plastic "bearing" or "ball" it slides onto in gear has worn away or broke, thus not holding the "upper" 3 gears in place, and thats why they pop out.

If this sounds legit how would I go about fixing this? or just take it to a shop?

Well I over-thought what was wrong by a long shot. I looked closely and pulled off that metal cover to reveal a black clip that holds the "ball," (for lack of better word) at the bottom of the shifter, stable. I just pulled that black clip up a little and it allowed the top 3 gears to work again.

Im assuming that black clip is broken somewhere, any ideas on where to buy a new one?

LEVER, SELECT. CHANGE CONTROL SYSTEM (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) (W/TURBO) for 2007 Mazda 3. #BR5V46100A

07 08 09 MAZDASPEED3 6 Speed Manual Shifter Assembly 2007 2009 | eBay

Sounds like clip on the shifter assembly broke. Same one as 6/fusion/milan/etc. Changed 3 of them over the years in my 06 fusion.

... and I'm an idiot. Still same part as all cars mentioned.

So I told you to check the linkage on the trans and then check the shifter assembly. You confirmed that they were not the issue, and I then said to move onto diagnosing syncros... and you complain it was a "poorly answered thread" after finding my first suggestion to be the issue?

Makes sense. Donate brownie.