What should i check first

Are you sure that you are selecting FIFTH or are you selecting REVERSE? A "smart" car will kill the engine if you shift into REVERSE while moving forward, to prevent you from breaking the transmission.

Go to Car-Part.com. You can look there for a used 5-speed for your '88 accord. The site is a nationwide locator of participating salvage yards, very extensive. I'm sure you could find one reasonable.

The cost of tearing down your gear box and repairing it may be prohibitive. That work usually requires a few special tools and a lot of checking tolerances.

The shifter cables and their ends are the same caliber as the rest of these cars. If the cable isn't broken at one end or the other, you can try this fix. Beware: this is an omen:sell the car while it runs!

wish some1 commented on yours i have a 2002 cavalier that is stuck in 5th was hoping to find something out when i clicked on your question

Check the shifter linkage to make sure nothing has slipped.

check shifter lever for adjustments

You might have bent the shift linkage that is beside the transmission.

check bulbs/ fuse/ reverse switch on gear box/broken wire

when are you getting the vibration on prop shaft?the gearbox is so hard to explaine ?this car must have had more problems than you tell me ,trouble with third/first/reverse.im strugging on fifth,fifth is classed as a overdrive so im going to isolate this as a fifth gear problem and i would suspect a[ bearing ]mybe the bearing at the end of the out shaft.please rate this answer.adrian,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

you prob have a bad slider drum or synchronizer.if you have lost reverse id bet its a slider drum. Let me know [email protected]