2005 Neon 5 speed. friend of mine at college in Okeechobee Florida. Stopped for gas this morning, shut car off, got gas, started back up, she said her shifter is like "there is nothing there" Can't find any gears.

I am in PA or I would just crawl under it, I am thinking something fell off the linkage.

Any one have this problem?? Got any Ideas. She is pretty much on her own down there. and needs to get this car fixed.

Thank you

Possibly shift linkage bushings. aftermarket fix

I've used them, they just pop in. Also you have the same thing on the shifter. You will get 4 when you order them.

Me too

Getting to them can be a little bit of a pain. Sometimes the battery and tray have to come out.

The OEM bushings on my 2000 lasted 3 or 4 years. Mopar doesn't sell just the bushings, only the complete cable assembly for $130 (price from 10 years ago, maybe more now). Booger Bushings, as linked to above, are $22 delivered. Mine BBs lasted 9 or 10 years but eventually failed two months ago. So for just another $22, I'm back up and running.
The hardest part changing the two on the shifter end is getting the console out. Yank the park brake lever up as far as it will go and force, repete, FORCE, the console up and out. It may feel like it will break but they will bend quite a bit. The shifter pins where the bushing clips on are horizonal, so when they go bad, the cable end falls off and you have zero shift. This is what happened to her Neon. With the console out, the cable can be moved by hand to get it in gear and move the car. The shift knob comes off by pushing down and turning it clockwise 1/4 turn.
The trans end bushing pins are verticle so when the bushing fails, the the cable end stays on and will still shift, although with slop. Yes, remove the battery and tray to get to them.
A few short lengths of 3/16" fuel line slipped over the pins to take a bit of the slop out and a loosely fitted tie wrap will hold the cable ends on till the Booger Bushings are delivered.
Change all 4 bushings as the others aren't too far behind.

MAKE that bushing out of a wood dowel !

Changing the bushings under the shifter is much more of a pain than changing the ones under the hood. So I would start with just changing the ones under the hood, which is where the majority of failures occur.

I have changed a dozen or more ones under the hood, but have never changed the ones under the shifter.

I changed mine under the shifter, just pull the console up. I also made one out of wood but they don't last long.

I run the rage-tek shifter bushings. Same kind of money as boogers, but they are easier to install and last longer.

first I've ever heard of rage-tek, but my Neon's almost 9 years old, so, I think I'm going to order a set and install them as preventative maintenance

tink you beddy much!

How can rage-tek be easier to install than booger bushings? They just push on, 5-10 seconds each. 99% of the work is to the R&R of the console and battery/tray.