# Spilled soda on gear shifter



## Predator_CITF (Jan 10, 2007)

Guys, I posted this on another car forum, but the members didnt give me much valid advice other than "it'll fix itself".

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I have a 95 Altima, and I went to Wendy's today and ordered a regular sized meal, but they charged me for large and gave me a large meal. So, I decided to just take it b/c I was too lazy to go back and argue with them. I put the HUGE cup on my cupholder (it doesnt fit, barely) and I drive forward, and the soda tips BACK and all this Dr Pepper spills onto my gear box (? is that the right term? its the thing i shift back and forth to go from park to drive, reverse, etc.). Is this bad? Did any soda spill inside and will it screw the shifting mechanism? 

------------------^^^ (the above was posted last Thursday)

The following happened yesterday:
I started my car today and the gear shifting thing, it was so HARD to move! But like after the car started running, it was fine. My mom spilled soda on the gear a long time ago, and she said the same thing happened to her. When the car runs for some time, the sugar melts and the gears move again. When the car is idle or when you're first starting it, the sugar has been crystallized and the gears are hard to move. 

Is there any way I can clean this by myself?

Here's a diagram of my interior:

Ok, heres my interior:








(without hte little GPS thing)

If you look at the gear shift thing, theres a little black covering at the bottom...










(i enlarged the figure)

Where the bluish thing is pointing, that little black strip, that whole gear strip got flooded with soda.


Please help!

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Update: Today - I called up a Nissan dealership and they told me how to open up the black plastic SURROUNDING the gear shifter, but this only gave me limited access to cleaning. I cleaned as much I as I saw, but I couldn't get very far in (I have big fingers and i was using a wet cloth)

I'm hoping you guys can help me out. It costs 88$ to get it cleaned and replaced at the Nissan dealership (this is my moms car and i havent told her yet that i spilled the soda, she's gonna be pissed lol, i'd rather fix this myself), and as I just explained, I'd rather clean it myself.

So, even after cleaning it out today, the gear shifter is still pretty sticky (altho less than earlier). What else can I use? Soap + water? What suggestions do you guys have? I've been reading around, this forum seems to be loaded with good info!


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## 2dr_Sentra (Dec 10, 2005)

Just take your time and take apart the console, and clean it. I honestly dont think that could cause to be hard to shift maybe the linkage is binding up.


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## Predator_CITF (Jan 10, 2007)

I dont know how to full tear it apart and I dont want to break it. The problem is, the panel i did open, it won't let me access to the area RIGHT under the shifter.


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## 2dr_Sentra (Dec 10, 2005)

Predator_CITF said:


> I dont know how to full tear it apart and I dont want to break it. The problem is, the panel i did open, it won't let me access to the area RIGHT under the shifter.


should just be screws, just take out all the screws in that area, and try and pop out the console.


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

I recommend pulling the trim around the outside of the shifter. Then using some all purpose cleaner such as 409 and some towels to clean around the the shifter the best you can. Next spray the shifter slot and use another towel and cotton swabs like Q-Tips to clean the slot out. Run the shifter from park to low and clean it out with each pass. This should be sufficient however if not then you can remove the four screws around the cover for more through cleaning.

Troy


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