Changed shifter cable now it’s not latching properly... any ideas?

Hey folks, yesterday as I was backing out of my driveway, my lower shifter cable broke and I ended up stuck in reverse. I managed to install a new one, but now it’s not aligning properly with the shift handle. It skips over the reverse position, and now my neutral position is actually reverse, my neutral is the drive position, and drive is the manual position. It doesn’t go any lower than that and I can’t access manual mode. I went back under the car and tried to adjust it manually to the correct position, but somehow it still goes to drive. Can anyone tell me what might be wrong?

Did you replace both halves of the cable or just the lower half? I’ve had trouble adjusting cables when only one half is replaced, especially with all the salt where I live. Also, how are you adjusting it? I usually put both the transmission and shifter in park, then tighten the cables together.

@Carter
I replaced both the upper and lower cables. I just tried your method, and it actually worked. Thank you so much! We unclipped it and moved the wire while my dash indicator was adjusting. I was over-squeezing the cables before adjusting, so that’s why it didn’t work initially.

That’s great to hear it worked out. Just be careful with those adjustments. If it feels off again, you might want to check if both ends are seated properly.

Shiloh said:
That’s great to hear it worked out. Just be careful with those adjustments. If it feels off again, you might want to check if both ends are seated properly.

What do you mean by both ends being seated properly? How can I check that?

@Ellis
Just make sure the cable ends are fully connected and not loose. It’s a simple check that can save you some headaches later on.

Yeah, adjusting shifter cables can be tricky. If it happens again, you might want to consider getting a professional to take a look. Sometimes they can spot things that are hard to see.

Skyler said:
Yeah, adjusting shifter cables can be tricky. If it happens again, you might want to consider getting a professional to take a look. Sometimes they can spot things that are hard to see.

How do I know if I need to go to a professional? Are there signs?

@Sia
If you find yourself constantly adjusting it or it keeps skipping gears, that’s a good sign. A mechanic might have better tools to diagnose the issue properly.

Glad you got it sorted. Just keep an eye on it for a little while. Cables can stretch over time, so regular checks might be a good idea.