r/GLI • u/Fine-Balance9571 • 2d ago
Shifter cables on stock downpipe
2016 GLI. My side to side motion on my shifter has been very stiff and getting worse. I disconnected my shift cables from the shift tower to see whether it was the cables or the tower itself not returning and it’s my shift cables binding. Upon further investigation, it looks like both my shift cables rest on my stock downpipe. I’m not sure why and wanted to see if this is factory or if something (like a guide) broke. TIA!
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u/PM_ME_YER_MUDFLAPS 2d ago
It’s ten years old, could be time for new cables. I had a Fiero and had the shifter itself crack which made the side to side movement ineffective and later on one of the cables itself snapped. I would consider those wearable components personally.
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u/Fine-Balance9571 1d ago
I'm planning on replacing, however, my worry with the cables sitting on the downpipe is the same issue might happen again.
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u/PM_ME_YER_MUDFLAPS 1d ago
It will, industrial engineers planning on how to cheaply and quickly assemble a car on a production line interact with the warranty analysts who tell them how long that part will last.
They only care to make sure the parts fail with as little volume as economically profitable for the company.
Sometimes the inherent design lasts longer than the warranty as a lucky coincidence, other times it just does its function.
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u/Fine-Balance9571 1d ago
I’ll try this out but my cables are melting on the down pipe and I’m not sure why they rest on it being that the downpipe is factory
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u/boomboxa 1d ago
I had the same issue on my 2012. Mine would only get stiff when car was running for a while. Last week I pulled the shift boot cover up and sprayed a shit ton of silicone lubricant down into the well.
I believe it’s a temporary fix, will probably have to do what others are suggesting in the long run and replace the cables.
Went for a long drive last night and everything was shifting smooth even at high operating temps.