Im having a really hard time shifting into any gear other than 5th in my truck. I have to use alot of force to shift into gear.

I'm having a very hard time shifting into any gear in my truck. I have to use so much force to get it into any gear that it hurts my hand and arm. It shifts into gear no problem with the truck off, its only when its on that it gives me a problem. This started maybe 3 days ago.

My car has 17500 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
You need to have the hydraulic clutch checked to see if it is disengaging the clutch as it should. The clutch is not disengaging and is the cause of the gears not being able to be shifted. You may have a bad clutch or clutch hydraulic system.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

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The main reason the car won`t go into gear is that the level of transmission fluid in the vehicle is lower than required. If the level is low despite regular maintenance, there may be a leak. Transmission fluid, therefore, is important to ensure that the car`s moving parts are properly lubricated for functioning.
Oftentimes, hard shifting can occur when you fail to change transmission fluid at the recommended interval. In the event that your transmission fluid gets low or dirty, your vehicle`s ability to shift could become compromised.
The Vehicle Speed Sensor measures vehicle speed. When it fails the transmission can stop shifting or shift late and harsh. A bad VSS may also inhibit overdrive and the converter clutch.
Misadjusted, damaged or stretched shift linkage or cables can keep an AT from going into gear when moving the shifter. Check your owner`s manual, because some vehicles have shift cables that are adjustable. Adjusting a cable is a one-time fix you can make before taking your car in for service.
Transmission Fluid Low or Poor Condition – Vehicles low on transmission fluid or that are operating with worn out or contaminated fluid are likely to experience hard shift conditions. Lack of adequate lubrication within the transmission can cause several problems, including hard shifting.
Improper Or Harsh Shifting

When there`s no speed signal coming from the sensors, shifting of gears will be a problem because the powertrain control module won`t control them correctly. This will make the transmission not work properly. It will either shift more quickly or roughly than expected.

A faulty crankshaft sensor is also used by the transmission as an input shaft speed sensor for the transmission to shift correctly. The sensor may affect shifting and also the way the engine runs. Your engine may also have went into failure mode if the crankshaft sensor is failing.
Turn off your vehicle`s ignition and wait patiently for 5 to 10 seconds. Start the engine and allow it to idle for several seconds. Switch off the ignition and wait patiently for another 30 to 40 seconds. Repeat these steps 2 to 3 times in order to reset your vehicle`s transmission control module.
Ford`s PowerShift dual clutch transmission was used in 2010. Vehicles impacted are the Ford Fiesta (model years 2011-2016) and the Ford Focus (model years 2012-2016) equipped with a PowerShift transmission.
Shifting delays are often caused by many things but most commonly due to poor maintenance or high mileage. Transmission fluid, in addition to acting as a coolant, keeps internal seals lubricated to help prevent hardening or wearing out.
Among the possibilities are faults in the throttle position sensor, mass airflow sensor, vacuum leaks, a clogged fuel filter, defective EGR valve or control circuit, and worn out spark plugs and wires.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Im having a really hard time shifting into any gear other than 5th in my truck. I have to use alot of force to shift into gear.
ANSWER : You need to have the hydraulic clutch checked to see if it is disengaging the clutch as it should. The clutch is not disengaging and is the cause of the gears not being able to be shifted. You may have a bad clutch or clutch hydraulic system.

Loose gearbox that won’t find 2nd or 5th gear, sometimes hard to differentiate between 1st and 3rd.
ANSWER : There are a couple of possibilities. The first thing that comes to mind is of course the shifter itself. There is a nylon ball and socket joint at the base of the gearshift lever that sometimes falls apart, making the feel of the shifter very vague. Additionally, there are links to the transmission shift linkage that involve nylon bushings and joints that can fall apart. Both problems are very common on your car. The other less common possibility is that you have a bad motor mount that is allowing the transmission to move around too much when you try to shift gears. either way, it’s not a big deal to fix, and probably won’t require expensive transmission work. If you contact Your Mechanic, they can send a technician to your home or office to check out you shifting issue and let you know what repairs it will take to correct it.

I got sound when I shift to 3rd gear and it’s get hard to put shift to second gear when car is in 3rd gear.
ANSWER : Hello. It sounds as though the synchronizers in the transmission, which are used to adjust transmission internal gear speed when upshifting or downshifting are possibly worn out or you are shifting a bit too fast. It is also possible that the clutch is not releasing fully when you press the clutch pedal. In some conditions, utilizing synthetic gear oil in the transmission can help the quality of gear shifting. If the clutch is not fully releasing an inspection of the clutch hydraulics is a good idea. I would recommend having an inspection of the hard shift completed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost for repairs.

My truck won’t allow me to change gears even when pressing the clutch. No gears go in at all. Makes it impossible to drive.
ANSWER : Hello, this concern is possibly the slave or clutch master cylinder failure. These two components use brake fluid to apply pressure for movement of the clutch system. This fluid breaks down in time and causes the seals to fail (leak). A low fluid level would cause this concern as well as internal leakage. Replacement of components would be necessary. This type of concern would need to be inspected. If you’d like, a certified technician from YourMechanic can come to your location to diagnose your vehicle, and possibly replace your clutch master cylinder if need be.

Sometimes I feel resistance from my gear shifter when shifting and need to use extra force in order to change gears.
ANSWER : Hello.

From what you describe it appears that you may possibly have a worn out transmission shifter bushing. This is component serves as a linkage bushing for the shifter, to the transmission. It is made of plastic, and thus, is susceptible to breaking or wearing out.

The shifter bushing, or bushings, are located at the base of the shifter, and will require disassembly of the vehicle’s interior to access. If the bushings are okay, then it may be possible that something is lodged in the shifter mechanism, and is jamming the shifter.

If you’d like to get this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as one of our mobile technicians can come diagnose your shifting issue firsthand and help you fix it accordingly.

I hear a weird rattling sound when I let off the accelerator.
ANSWER : I hate to say it but it sounds like the issue is the transmission. There are a few things you could check before you go back to the rebuild shop. Check the driveshaft and U-joints. And check the engine and transmission mounts. The fact is there are 1000 moving parts, hundreds of hydraulic passageways, and very tight specifications in a modern automatic transmission. A very minor failure can cause very serious issues. If the shop that rebuilt it has a warranty, I wouldn’t hesitate to take it back and see what they think. If you would like a second opinion, consider having a certified technician from YourMechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your car’s location to diagnose the rattling noise.

Won’t shift past 2nd gear . It drives normal to 2nd gear but wont shift into 3r – 2000 Ford F150 4×4
ANSWER : Hello – I don’t think this is related to switching back to 2WD per se. There is a shift position sensor on the side of the transmission, and it’s possible that the snow activity caused moisture and/or dirt to get into the sensor. I would recommend a transmission inspection by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.

Especially when cold, I notice shifts in low gears on my transmission
ANSWER : Hello. If servicing the fluid and filter did not help, then it may be possible that the transmission is worn. If any of the clutch packs that the transmission uses to shift wear out, they may slip and cause harsher shifting than normal. If the problem only occurs when the transmission is cold, then it may be possible that the clutch discs are worn, but can properly grip when the transmission and fluid reach operating temperature. I would recommend double checking the fluid for any signs of damage or wear, any unusual smells or color. If the fluid checks out. If you need help having this looked at, I would then move on to having the shifting issue diagnosed to see if the transmission may be faulty.