You can drive a car with a broken shifter cable but the transmission will stay in the same gear–but that doesn’t mean you should continue driving your car if the shifter cable is faulty.

If your indicator doesn’t match the gear you are in, or your vehicle starts in another gear, you may have a broken shifter cable that needs to be replaced with a new one. Shifter cables usually last between 125,000 and 175,000 miles or about five to eight years, but like any vehicle part, they wear out from use.

This

car repair

guide will walk you through everything you need to know about shifter cables in automatic and manual transmission vehicles and give you an estimate of how much it’ll cost to replace a shift cable.

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What is a shift cable?

The shift cable, also known as the shift selector cable or transmission shift cable, connects the shift lever assembly to the transmission in your vehicle.

A simple component with a crucial job, the shift cable is responsible for putting the transmission into the correct gear as the driver moves the gear shifter handle between gear settings. For example, when you move your shift lever into reverse, the shift cable tells the transmission to do the same, allowing you to back out of the driveway.

Both vehicles with automatic transmissions and manual transmissions have shift cables that perform the same job, but they do it in slightly different ways.

Shifter cables in automatic transmission cars

Cars with automatic transmissions have one shifter cable that links the shift lever assembly to the transmission. That’s because when you move the gear shifter to different settings–from reverse to drive to park position–the shift lever is pushed and pulled on a single plane.

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Shifter cables in manual transmission cars

Manual transmission vehicles, on the other hand, contain two shifter cables connected to two shifter levers: one for vertical movement and one for horizontal movement.

When you move the shifter handle toward the front or rear of the vehicle, the horizontal lever is pushed or pulled by one cable and the vertical lever moves the shifter up and down.

MORE: How to drive stick or manual cars

Can you drive a car with a broken shifter cable?

Technically speaking, yes you can drive a car with a broken shifter cable but it is not recommended. Driving with a broken or failing shifter cable is dangerous, hazardous, and unpredictable at best. If a shifter cable breaks, the transmission won’t have the leverage it needs to change gears leaving you stuck in the park position.

One of the most common reasons a shifter cable breaks is because of stretching from wear over time. Stretched cables are more common in vehicles with manual transmissions because the shifter is used more frequently than in automatic cars. However, whether you have a car with an automatic or manual transmission, the signs of a bad shifter cable are the same.

If the shifter cable is failing, you may notice the following symptoms:

Indicator doesn’t match the gear you selected

Vehicle won’t turn off when you remove the key from the ignition

Vehicle starts in another gear besides park or neutral

Vehicle won’t go into gear because you can’t move the gear selector

As soon as you notice any of the above symptoms have your vehicle towed to an auto repair shop to have the car shift inspected and the problem diagnosed by a mechanic. If your shifter cable is broken or stretched beyond repair, you’ll need to replace it with a new cable.

How much does a shift cable replacement cost?

The costs to replace a shift cable varies depending on the type of transmission your vehicle has. That’s because automatic transmission cars have one shifter cable while manual transmissions have two.

The average cost to replace a shift cable on an automatic transmission ranges between $290 and $330 but replacing a shift cable on a manual transmission could cost as much as $450 for parts and labor.

If you want to save money on your shift cable replacement and are mechanically savvy, you can replace the shift cable yourself and forgo labor costs altogether. You’ll just have to pay the new shift cable which is usually priced around $125 at your local auto parts store.

MORE:

How to replace a shift selector cable

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FAQs

What happens if the shifter cable breaks?

When the shifter cable breaks, your transmission won’t have the leverage it needs to change to the selected gear.

How do you know if your shifter is broken?

Your shifter cable may be broken if your indicator won’t match the selected gear, your vehicle won’t turn off when you remove the key, starts in another gear besides neutral or park, and the shift selector won’t move. If you notice the symptoms of a bad shift cable, get your vehicle towed to a mechanic and have the problem inspected.

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