Oooops! Spring Goes Where in Shift Knob? (uhm) Any Ideas?

Pretty well versed in interior car disassembly/reassembly, but today I had the classic and very pathetic issue of a part that came off and I have absolutely no idea from where it came. (eek)

Was in the process of removing the automatic shift knob from my 2019, and as I unhooked the shift release button in order to access the U-shaped "staple" holding the knob on the shaft, a small spring, well, sprang out and landed in the front storage console space. It is about 3/8" in height:

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=220799&d=1556650275

I do not see any obvious place it goes in the knob assembly under that button, nor do I see online any photos of other Mazda auto shift knob removals where such a true spring is shown, nor mentioned in any disassembly instructions. I also did this same knob removal in my 2016 CX-5 more than once, and never saw a spring nor encountered this issue. I also looked at the 2018 workshop manual and couldn't find any reference to such a spring in that general area of the center console.

It might be helpful to note that the entire shift console plate part was loose and turned sideways on the console, so I also wondered if the spring came from beneath there, but again I don't see any obvious place for it. It would have been odd for the spring to have not come from the shift knob itself as it seemingly flew out as I was opening up the release button.

Anyone happen to know where this goes? Everything seems to be in working order, including the feel of the shift knob itself and the Sports selector flip button, but obviously I'd rather put the spring back where it belongs....

(this was all to replace that front console storage piece as I accidentally chipped the hell out of one inner side of it)

I believe the spring provides the tension for the button on the front of the shift knob. I found a diagram when I was trying to see if I could replace my own shift knob with one I had lying around at home. Let me see if I can find it again..

Nope, looks like I was wrong. Here's the diagram I found:



That's a screenshot from a gear knob removal PDF that was uploaded to this forum: https://www.cx3forum.com/forum/interior/7105-automatic-gear-knob-removal.html#



Actually, in that thread, Anchorman (who is also on this board) snapped a few pictures. In one of his pictures, you can just make out the spring that popped out of your knob. I circled it in red.




Hope that helps.

Thank you very much, sm1ke! Actually, it is a true spring (coiled) and not what Mazda calls a spring in that diagram and what is circled in the photo--that's to what I referred as the U-shaped "staple", since it looks more like that to me. This actual spring popped out before I even tried to get the "staple" out, so right in Step B of what you helpfully provided.

I have a link to a photo of the errant spring up there, buried in all my prattle....(cheers2)

RLCarrington said:

Thank you very much, sm1ke! Actually, it is a true spring (coiled) and not what Mazda calls a spring in that diagram and what is circled in the photo--that's to what I referred as the U-shaped "staple", since it looks more like that to me. This actual spring popped out before I even tried to get the "staple" out, so right in Step B of what you helpfully provided.

I have a link to a photo of the errant spring up there, buried in all my prattle....(cheers2)

Click to expand...

Yep, I saw the photo. So the spring that popped out of your knob isn't the same spring that I circled in red? Hmm. Wonder where it came from then.

The spring that came out in the OP picture is a torsion spring, like for a clothes pin. That U shaped "spring" looks like its a retention spring.

Perhaps the torsion spring is what supplies resistance to pushing the button for the shift release. It looks like that "button" presses on the white part above sm1ke's red circle. Is it possible that your torsion spring goes around that pivot pin for the that white piece to try to keep that white part biased outward resisting being pushed in?

Does that button give resistance when you try to push it in? Is the shifter locked when it is supposed to be?

sm1ke said:

Yep, I saw the photo. So the spring that popped out of your knob isn't the same spring that I circled in red? Hmm. Wonder where it came from then.

Click to expand...

Maybe I just can't see the finer details in the embedded and linked photo, and that's where the spring belongs...I just see what appears to be a black bar in the circled area. Probably my computer monitor. The location would make perfect sense.

murky said:

The spring that came out in the OP picture is a torsion spring, like for a clothes pin. That U shaped "spring" looks like its a retention spring.

Perhaps the torsion spring is what supplies resistance to pushing the button for the shift release. It looks like that "button" presses on the white part above sm1ke's red circle. Is it possible that your torsion spring goes around that pivot pin for the that white piece to try to keep that white part biased outward resisting being pushed in?

Does that button give resistance when you try to push it in? Is the shifter locked when it is supposed to be?

Click to expand...

Also had the same thought. Have already confirmed that the shifter remains locked in P when supposed to be. But wasn't sure about the actual button status....mine will press in when car is off, but still doesn't allow any actual shifter movement--should the button itself be also locked? I believe so, but one of those things you just stop paying attention to.

I appreciate both of your input, as I think we are narrowing down the location this torsion spring came from and what it is used for. Maybe when I was using the small screwdriver to pull back on the button cover to disengage it I also accidentally hooked the spring at the same time.

Okay, so I saved that photo locally and zoomed in--not the highest detail enlarged, but it does appear that's the exact spring in question. Not fully clear on the actual attachment points, but hopefully it will be fairly obvious once I look more closely.

Huge thanks to you both! (cheers2)