Kizashi Clutch/Transmission

Ask technical questions or post on problems/issues related to the Kizashi under this topic. Symptoms and pictures of your problem are a good idea.
NOTE: Any car related technical question can be posted here.
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movieman1227
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Apr 17, 2019 2:53 am
Location: New Orleans, LA

Hello Fellow Members!

I hate to have to post this kind of message after JUST buying my first Kizashi, but I started having some issues only weeks after buying the car. It is a 2010 Kizashi SLS with 140K miles on it. It is in excellent condition and the owner seemed to baby his cars. He has every receipt and maintenance log since the day he purchased the vehicle. That being said, I was driving around town, and, all of a sudden, I couldn't get the car to shift into certain gears. I could press the clutch down as usual, and it didn't feel any different. The stick, however, would not move properly. I was only able to get it into 2nd or 4th gear, and that was tough. I wasn't far from home, so I was able to drive it back. It now sits in my driveway waiting for help. I have been driving for several decades, and I learned on a stick. It didn't take me long (about 1 day) to get back in the hang of driving stick again. I have only driven the car about 6 times since I've had it, and it has only been to run errands around town for 15-30 minutes each time. Does this sound more like a clutch issue or the actual transmission? I look forward to any help you may offer.

Rob
Suzota
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Apr 17, 2019 4:46 am

Best way to check if its clutch or gearbox is.....
stop car, turn it off. Apply handbrake. Try selecting all gears.
If it easily moves into all gears with engine off, handbrake on; then its not likely your gearbox. Its likely the clutch.
I have had clutch failures where the clutch feels fine, with travel, pressure etc and turned out the whole clutch plate was broken. the "normal feeling spring" was coming from the return spring and the pressure plate which was doing what it should. As the clutch plate itself was broken, I could not easily select gears or drive the car.

Hope this helps.
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KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

My understanding is that when the manual trans fails to shift into certain gears, but does so for others, the problem is the linkage. You likely have a break somewhere that has affected the cable tension for shifting gears.
Fortunately, it's an easier and cheaper fix than the clutch or actual issues with the gear cogs.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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movieman1227
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Apr 17, 2019 2:53 am
Location: New Orleans, LA

Thank you both for your responses to this issue. I am out of town working right now, but I will be back home tomorrow afternoon/evening. I will test the theories and get back to report my findings. Hopefully whatever I find can help someone else if the same issue arises.

Thank you again for your help!

Rob
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movieman1227
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Apr 17, 2019 2:53 am
Location: New Orleans, LA

Hello again all!
I just reread this thread I started a couple of years ago, and I realized I forgot to share the solution. The entire issue with my car not shifting into specific gears was because of the shifter guides. The shifter has two rods that connect to the transmission and are held in place by plastic guides. One of the guides had broken and the related rod was not moving in the necessary fashion for the transmission to be properly shifted. I actually found a Kizashi at a local Pull-a-Part (yes I know I am lucky!), and took the clip off of it. I grabbed a few spare parts while I was there, so the guy didn't even concern himself with the clip. Free fix! The clips are located directly below the battery tray which needs to be removed to access them. I hope this helps someone else out there!
KlutzNinja
Posts: 286
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2019 6:58 am

Thanks for the update. How has your Kizashi been since then? Any other issues? How many miles does it have? Just curious lol
Current: Blue 2018 Mazda 3 GT 5-Door
Previous: Blue 2010 Ford Focus SES,
Black 2013 Kizashi Sport GTS-L (CVT; FWD)(RIP)
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movieman1227
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Apr 17, 2019 2:53 am
Location: New Orleans, LA

KlutzNinja wrote: Sat Aug 07, 2021 6:21 am Thanks for the update. How has your Kizashi been since then? Any other issues? How many miles does it have? Just curious lol
It has been running very well since then, but I am currently having the clutch replaced. There is a bushing that is bad on one of the shifter cables, and they need to be replaced. I am having a tough time finding replacement cables (28300-57L00-000). Any idea where I can find them?
old tech
Posts: 705
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 1:51 pm
Location: n/w pennsysvania

I dont get to see many sticks since they only came in fwd but Im guessing the bushing is a circular piece of rubber with probably a steel center collar that fits around maybe an 8mm steel shift lever shaft. This bushing could probably be replaced if you could just find or even fabricate one . The Kizashi uses the exact same transmission as the sx4. A much better chance of finding one of those and just use the bushing as the cables have a different part no. due to length. Do you have a Pull-a -part near by? making it from plastic bushing material from a hardware store could work even if you have to tack weld a washer to the shaft.
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