I got this 2002 protege5, on the 286000km, on the highway on 5th gear and used cruise control. Then pull off to a small town to get gas and then couldn't move the car. Shifter can shift and feel the same as before can hear gear changing sound. But it is stuck internally in 5th gear. Put shifter in neutral and when let go slowly if clutch the rpm drops so I know clutch is good, if let go completely car just jolt forward a little and stalls.

I'm thinking shift fork. Didn't know about this until now. Had many manual cars and first Mazda.

Got the car for 300 bucks and run rough first. After a few days it run smoothly. Parked for a while I guess. Then overheat and almost gave up thinking it's water pump, turned out to be thermostat, not sure original or not there is rubber gasket where the valve moves. Of course rubber is old and got stuck so doesn't open. Replaced with Gate brand thermostat and much better design no rubber on the inside just the outside gasket for sealing. Earlier was getting p0660 code which is the vacuum solenoid. 26 bucks got 2. But now it doesn't have that code oh even before that was 2nd cylinder misfire, spark plugs was completely worn. Got some ngk iridium sitting here from my civic hybrid that broke and fits this Mazda perfectly. Run a huge ton better after. Then got p0550 code for the large leak in evap. Left that alone for now since doesn't affect much. Then got the 5th gear stuck problem.

The car I'm sure wasn't well maintained. No record on timing belt change even. 3 owners and previous guy said it's never been changed which I highly doubt. The valve cover and the plastic casing over the cam gears wasn't lined up so I loosened the cover and moved the plastic a little now there is no gap. That is a sign maybe they changed belt before. Not gonna bother changing that just was hoping to drive til it dies. Only drive 300km since got it lol.

I just want to ask about the transmission, I see almost everyone asking "stuck" they actually mean stuck, can't get shifter to shift out of gear, my Mazda is different the shifter goes to all other gears while internally stuck on 5th.

Thanks everyone who an chime in, I know each time I join a brand forum I get ignored on my first post.

 

Anyone?
​​​​​​Just to add to this. If it's in 3rd it can move just have to use a bit of clutch until speed catches up. Like your normal 3rd gear. So weird it can be in 2 gears at once 3 and 5 lol.