My 5 speed tranny in a '97 Eclipse with 2.0 L is most of the time hard to shift into first gear. You have to let thet clutch out in neutral and then try to get it into 1st gear. Same thing for reverse. It goes into 2nd most of the time with occassional difficulty. Sometimes when you first start up the car, the shifter is stuck in neutral nd you have to work with it ti get it to move into any gear. What is the probable problem(s)? It is taking the fun out of driving the car. Should I take it to a transmission shop for a diagnosis? Could it be a clutch related problem?

Thanks

 

have someone get in the car and work the clutch,make sure your full ingaging.can also try bleeding the clutch system.

 

shifting cables need to be adjusted

 

sounds like fluid to me. when was it last replaced/checked?

 

Check the basics first, is the clutch fluid low? Check for leaks, inspect the shifter bushings/cables and try bleeding it.