Gear shifter problem

I've posted a problem with the gear shifter before but I'm finding another problem. The gear shifter seems awfully loose. It bounces around too when you go over bumps and is easy to knock out of gear if your hand accidently hits it while reaching for the radio. Should there be any play in the shifter? All of my previous cars have had the shifter on the floor in the console area and were never loose.<br>I'm also the one who has been having trouble getting the key out of the ignition if you don't shift from drive to park slowly.<br>Anyone else having any similar problems?

Your gear shift lever should remain firmly in place as you go over bumps, and it shouldn't be easily knocked out of gear.<br><br>I think you have found the problem with your key extraction as well, because if the gear shift lever is not firmly engaged in Park, you can't remove the ignition key when you turn the engine off.<br><br>It sounds like it's time to fix your gear shift lever, and if you have any doubt about yours being "abnormal", check out one on the lot. I'm sure you'll see a difference.

YEP, Whenever I hit my first bump , my gear shift falls back a notch. I hear it initially, then see it fall back. It has never switched gears on me, just goes back toward the dash???

When I shift the gear lever into drive, I have to also "push forward" to have it (sort of) lock more securely. In the past, I just shifted to drive and when I accidentally bump into the lever (i.e. changing radio stations, engaging the defrost button, etc.), the lever would shift to either 2nd gear or neutral, depending on the direction of my clumsiness. So, I just have to push the lever forward when in drive to keep it in place. 'Got used to it after about a week of it bouncing around.<br><br>I haven't had problems taking the key out of the ignition, however, so you may have to get this checked out like tenn_trib said.

That's exactly what mine does

For what its worth, my shifter drops into the "D" notch (detent) readily and doesn't need pushing; nor does it "shift" around or drop a gear if I strike it on the way to the CD controls; however I make sure it is in "D" notch before I drive away by looking at the display. (I've revved the engine in "N" a few times thinking it was in Drive).<br><br>One reviewer commented that the detent was not deep enough and was hard to find and I agree.<br><br>I would certainly have any play or looseness looked into, esp. if accompanied by key problems. Changing gears unintentionally could be extremely dangerous.

Does this variability have anything to do with the "adaptive learning strategy" nominally explained on p.111 of the owners manual? Maybe if you "teach" it inconsistently, due to the awkward placement, etc., it learns "wrong." It says that if you disconnect the battery, it has to start all over again with the learning thing. Worth a try?<br><br>This is my first automatic tranny, and I must admit it is a bit tricky. Of course I am the person who was laughed at hysterically when I had no clue that in an automatic, once you pulled forward to get a steering wheel shifter from Park, past reverse, all you had to do was reverse your hand and push forward, and it would fall down into Drive pretty smoothly (i.e., it wouldn't normally go into low on its own.)<br><br>Not sure this applies your problem. Good luck.

I've had the same experience, it happens often, the gear would be in drive and I'll reach for the radio and the gear will pop into place - lock in - it's by no means as bad as some of the others have posted (changing gears into 2nd or Neutral) but I'm not hitting the selector that hard. It worried me at first but I've gotten used to it. Those of you who are having the big problem should get is checked out by service as it may be under warranty fix, I may do the same myself if it becomes serious...<br><br>As far as the getting the key out. You have to make sure the gear is in park before you turn the ignition off... If "park" is selected after the ignition is turned off, simply turn the battery on (one notch on the ignition), turn it off again and it should come out easily...<br><br>I consider both of these qualities minor annoyances I just have to get used to. Is it another design flaw? Maybe, I don't mind it actually...<br><br>However, I sure hope Mazda is visitng this board and considering what we all have to say. It probably is the single most powerful entity us consumers have on our sides...

My gear shift will slip back to Neutral if you push it, from Drive.<br><br>But, it will not go to "2" unless you pull it back first, then pull it down to "2".<br><br>It has a lockout type feature which prevents you from accidently pushing it into "2" say when reaching for the radio.

When my key locks in the ignition, it is clearly in park. Turning the key on and off again doesn't work either. The only way to get it out is to turn the ignition on, put it into drive and then SLOWLY put it back into park.

Jmlagasca - for the key, my Trib also doesn't let you remove the key if you've put in park after turning the engine off - not sure the rational (some car jacking deterence I was told, but don't know). <br><br>But your gear shouldn't 'pop' into place while driving, unless you didn't have it firmly in place to begin with. I've noticed that the Trib will still move if you haven't fully shifted the gear, but then you have problems with it falling into place when least expected. After the first time this happened to me, I was a little more careful when shifting and making sure I feel it fall in - now I don't think about it and its natural.

consider it a feature

Grow up

what do you mean?

I think your previous reply of "consider it a feature" was quite ambiguous and doesn't specifically address what you meant by your statement. Perhaps lkr19819's post about the key getting stuck in the ignition was what she thought you addressed. (If so, then getting the key stuck is definitely not a nice feature -- I'd get ticked off myself.)<br><br>Which issue were you addressing anyway? Personally, I think I type too much per post, but I'd rather be clear than get misunderstood.

stecama, if I understand you right, if you turn off the engine with the gear shift in gear, or somewhere besides Park, and then go to park, you can't remove your key? I can duplicate that action and as long as I place the gear shift lever in park, the key comes out. Period. It doesn't matter where the shifter was when I turned the engine off.<br><br>I don't think your situation is a "feature", I think it's a flaw and the dealer should correct it.