Help! shiftgate stuck!

[Submariner]

After a horrible off road excursion (which I'll talk about later) The shift gate wont move in my car.  I believe the problem is some mud leaked in there.  I don't think its the actual transmission.  I have to return the car to my dad and if he finds out about this he will freak.  Any way I can remove the shift gate from inside the car to clean it?

Oh, the effected area is between R and N.  I can still get it into drive, it just takes several times of me going from P down. 

[GoCougs]

If you think it's mud, I'd try to get some high pressure water from the underside near the vicinity of the shifter.

My bet however is that something got tweaked (speaking from experience).

Either way, I'd think long and hard before taking any any interior pieces apart; not only because interior bits rarely go back together as well, but even if it is mud, I doubt you'd be able to access the problem from inside the car.

[Submariner]

If you think it's mud, I'd try to get some high pressure water from the underside near the vicinity of the shifter.

My bet however is that something got tweaked (speaking from experience).

Either way, I'd think long and hard before taking any any interior pieces apart; not only because interior bits rarely go back together as well, but even if it is mud, I doubt you'd be able to access the problem from inside the car.

No no, I doubt it's the actual transmission.  What happened is, I think some mud from my hands dripped in the shift gate.  When you pull it a certain way, it engages smoothly, but if you follow the pattern exactly, it jams.

The transmission seems fine not just in all 5 forward gears, but in reverse, neutral, park.  I think the problem lies in the shifter itself, not the gearbox.

Theres a trap door opening on the box.  Is that used to take it apart?

If you know anything, please help.  I'm in quite a bad spot right now.

[GoCougs]

I was thinking more along the lines that the transmission shifted a bit on its mounts, slightly binding the shifter.

I wish I could help further but I don't know anything. I guess last resort is to take it apart; and I'm afraid I don't know about the trap door.

[Submariner]

I got

I was thinking more along the lines that the transmission shifted a bit on its mounts, slightly binding the shifter.

I wish I could help further but I don't know anything. I guess last resort is to take it apart; and I'm afraid I don't know about the trap door.

I was stuck in soft mud.

The shifter appears fine, and it has problems moving side to side.  But oddly enough, sometimes it will shift fine between P and D.  I think its dirt.

[Submariner]

In a very strange turn of events, the shifter is working smoothly now.  I misted the rubber slider and wiped it with a q-tip, and it's working fine (I hope for good)

[S204STi]

Just FYI, mud packed into the shifter arm at the transmission will in fact cause things to eff up.  Sounds like you lucked out.