Hey Everyone,
I'm new to the forums and I'm hoping I can get some insight into my problem. I just picked up a brand new 2006 manual Mazda3s 5dr three days ago and have been driving it around without incident. Today on my way to work just after I pull onto the highway the car won't shift into 5th gear. Only after I exited and came to a complete stop would the shifter let me cycle into 5th (with the clutch in). Now the shifter just doesn't feel as "smooth" as it did before this suddenly happened and 5th is still a little harder to get into than the rest. I am a little rusty at stick shift but I have not in any way been abusing the thing. If anything I have gone out of my way to be extra gentle since it's my first new car. I am really worried that I just bought a lemon. I am dropping it off at the dealer 8AM tomorrow. Anyone have any words of encouragement?

 

Words of encouragement....hmmm....well... (j/k!) Actually, don't quote me on this but, it should just be a minor adjustment at the shop. It's not uncommon in some new vehicles to have the manual gearing slightly out of adjustment in some of the linkage. I could be wrong, but if I were a betting man, that generally pans out as the usual bug.