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Strange Shifting Problem

586 Views 10 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  '97 Saab SE Turbo, 
L
My 99 5-speed manual has been operating perfectly. But the other day while my wife was driving it, my car stranded her. It wouldn't engage any gears.
With the engine running you can shift through all gears (including R) without using the clutch, and the shifter feels normal - like it is actually going into each gear - but the car won't move, there's no change in the sound (i.e. no rubbing of any parts).
The clutch pedal isn't limp either. The car will not move at all.
Is this a symptom of the CMC or CSC ? I have never known a clutch or trans to go from operating perfectly to non-functioning instantly without warning.
Any ideas?:roll:
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L
Thanks for the reply.

I had struts done about a month ago. But regarding the axles is it likely that both side would disconnect at once? Also, would that cause the clutch to play no role in the gear shifting, as I am experiencing now?
Did this happen to you?
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earthworm said:
Something is broken between the shift control and the transmission, or so it seems. Do you feel the normal resistance from the gearbox during shifting?
More likely is the situation Ron alludes to, an axle shaft popping out. Its only held in place by a snap ring. This happened to me with the Honda(same design). Cars are one wheel drive, lose just one axle, and we have no wheel drive.
Your chutch system is probably fine, if it were to be on the fritz, you would have horrific grinding and clashing from your transmission.;oops::cry:
Click to expand...
My feeling is also that something is broken or disconnected btwn the shift ctrl and trans. If that is the case, what are the most likely culprits.
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'97 Saab SE Turbo said:
More than likely, it will be the driver side axle since the passenger side has the stub axle and I can't see that popping out. You might try jacking and supporting the drivers side, and see if the wheel turns freely with the transmisson in gear. If you can, my guess is that the axle needs to be tapped back in to the transmission. I used a 2x4 and small sledge to tap the hub while the lower ball joint was still loose... Ron
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Would the axle popping out take the clutch out of the equation? When it happened to you, it sounds like you were still able to shift normally (using the clutch) but that the power wasn't being transferred to the wheels due to the axle. But I can shift thru the gears with engine running w/o using the clutch.
Is the axle pop-out diagnosis consistent with the useless clutch occurrence too?
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'97 Saab SE Turbo said:
More than likely, it will be the driver side axle since the passenger side has the stub axle and I can't see that popping out. You might try jacking and supporting the drivers side, and see if the wheel turns freely with the transmisson in gear. If you can, my guess is that the axle needs to be tapped back in to the transmission. I used a 2x4 and small sledge to tap the hub while the lower ball joint was still loose... Ron
Click to expand...
I replied earlier but it didn't post for some reason. Anyway.

Was your clutch still working or needed to shift into gear when your axle was disengaged? It seems that if the axle were the issue I would still need to shift normally, using the clutch pedal, and there simply would be no power transferred to the wheels. Is that not correct?
I can shift thru all gears without using the clutch with the engine running.
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I replied earlier but they didn't post for some reason. Anyway.

When your axle was disengaged, was your clutch still needed to shift in and out of gears? It seems that if the axle were the issue I would still need to shift normally, using the clutch pedal, and the problem would simply be that no power is transferred to the wheels. Is that not correct?

I can shift thru all gears without using the clutch with my engine running.
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