Hyundai Repair: 2003 Hyundai Accent, hyundai accent, roll pin

Question
Hi, I recently wrote concerning my Accent stick shift that would not go into either 5th or Reverse.  This is manual transmission obviously.  Clutch working fine otherwise and other gears working fine.  I am second owner and past mileage of warrantee.  It would be helpful to have some idea of what would need to be fixed or replaced.  One mechanic said it was clutch, another said it is transmission.  I am afraid that they will have me replacing everything because this is a strange case.  Need more info on what parts are effected.  Thanks, Carole

Answer
I don't think I thought of this earlier, but you should first check the shift cables.  One moves when you move the lever sideways, the other moves when move the lever fore and aft.  It's the one corresponding to sideways shift lever movement that could be the issue.  You'd primarily be looking to verify they're clipped in place properly and that the cable hasn't pulled out of the crimps on either end.  If you're not sure, you could remove the shift cables from the levers on top of the transmission and move the levers by hand to see whether they select each gear.  If you can select every gear that way, then the problem is with your cable.

I can say for certain that the problem is not your clutch.  The clutch would affect all gears equally.  Stay away from whatever shop told you this was a clutch issue.  You shouldn't trust them anywhere near your transmission.

If the cables are okay, then the issue is inside the transmission.  The most likely culprit would be a broken roll pin, but there could be other broken components.  It's possible the components needing service would be accessible just by removing the end cover from the transmission, but it's also possible the entire transmission would need to be removed and disassembled to find the exact cause and repair it.

To be certain, the vehicle will need to be inspected to find conclusively the issue.  Checking the shift cables is a minor undertaking.  Removing the end cover from the transmission and checking the components there is also a relatively minor undertaking.  But if the problem isn't in either of these places, the transmission will need to be removed and disassembled to find the exact cause, and that's major work.  If the transmission needs to be disassembled for repair, you'll pay several hundreds of dollars in labor (perhaps over $1000), even if it's a $2 part that failed.  If you're unable to check the cables yourself, or if you've determined the problem is not with the cables, you should definitely be sure you're taking the car to a trustworthy shop that has the capabilities of doing major transmission diagnosis and repair.