01 2.3l M RWD XL

I was driving along and all of a sudden it dropped out of gear. I coasted to a stop. Engine revved fine. I could not get any gears so engage. There was the sound of metal striking metal when I put it in reverse. I smelled a little burning smell. Got I towed home.

Thought for sure when I pulled the trans out it would be shredded gears in the gear box.

To my eye its pristine, I hand turned the shaft and got no resistance or vibration. However the bushing that the gear shift sits in was shattered.

Would this bushing and linkage disintegrating cause the issue I described?

Is there a test or inspection I can do to verify the gears and box are in good working order?

Thank You

 

Assuming "M" means manual transmission

Sure if the shifter can no longer move the shift rods into a "gear" then trans would be stuck in Neutral

Pull off the cover/shifter plate and have a look inside

Google: M5OD transmission images

Most will be the M5OD-R2, you have an M5OD-R1, the R2 is larger but visually and mechanically the same

 

Cover plate should just be a handful of 10mm bolts holding it on IIRC