Stiff Shift Lever (01 SL)
 

I haven't found anyone else with this problem: My manual transmission shift lever gets very stiff and doesn't want to move right to left or front to back. With effort it moves into each gear gently, but there's a lot of resistance on the movement. I see a lot of problems with cables and maybe I should start there, but I hope someone has some experience with this. Thanks!

While I have no experience with this, you're correct about starting with the cables. Also, have you ever checked the fluid level in the transmission?

shift cables may be binding
or they may be flexing and therefore not properly aligning things to shift into gears
or they may have stretched to the point that they no longer align stuff correctly

I'd pull the center console ASAP and check the condition of the cables and the shifter bushing that holds them on. You're probably putting an enormous amt of stress on that busing for one of the reasons stated above and it WILL break....

Also check the other end where the cable ends meet the tranny

Thanks - I will check the cables. How do I check the fluid level? I can't find this anywhere in te engine compartment.

Why would it be in the engine compartment .......... it's a manual transmission.

There should be a plug on one side of the transmission. I don't know which. Remove that plug and if fluid drips out, you're okay, if not, you need to add some. I don't know what type the Saturn manuals take. Mine was an automatic. Someone else here will know and inform you.

Quick and Dirty
 

I've had this problem before, and my fix generally is either it went away by itself, or if I jammed the shifter into 1st really hard, it might go away by itself, but I might not recommend that as SOP.

You said it gets stiff, implying part of the time it works properly.
Under what conditions does it stiffen up?
Is this an issue even with the clutch pedal fully depressed in neutral?

Derf, this thread is 13 years old. I don't think JudetheDude realized that.