My 07 S has 125000 miles on it and I have recently found it very difficult to move the gear selector left and right which is a bit scary because you have to take care to make sure you're truly in neutral etc.
I tracked the problem down and it is a nylon bushing just below where the selector cable attaches on transmission . Of course mini don't show it available on its own and you have to buy the complete selector unit which I wouldn't be opposed to doing but to install the full unit I'm pretty positive you'd have to pull the trans and do some internal work as it looks like it goes fairly deep down into the trans. Of course I could just pay the $250 for the unit and just use the bushing from it but that's an expensive bushing then !! I have searched through here over the past couple weeks and haven't seen any posts related to this.
My fix so far is I have to remove coolant bottle , intake tube , and rubber turbo tube - then I can pop the cable off , remove circling holding the steel round part in the bushing , remove steel part, then I grease it and slide it back in the bushing and put it back together . The fun part is I have to do this about every other day now !!!
Let me know if you have any experience with this or have any ideas .

Thanks guys !

 

Are you talking about number 18 possibly on the shift unit number 10.



Or the bushing on the end of the selector cables? Near #10 and #11



Thanks

 

No but I wish I were , it is a round nylon type white round bushing that goes just under and behind number 18. The actual cable itself doesn't touch it - but the unit ( #10) is where it attaches to. When you move the gear selector left or right then there's a part on #10 that pivots up and down and that's where the bushing comes into play.

 

Got a picture of it on number 10.



It looks like its not separate part like you mentioned. Did you try a thicker grease?

Thanks

 

Well I will probably have to take car apart in the next day or 2 to lube the damn thing again so I will take a pic then and post it .

Thanks

 

If you can get measurements of what the size and shape are supposed to be, you can probably get a bushing that will work. Or can be made to work with a little work on a lathe. A hard plastic like Delrin might work, or even bronze.