Gear shift is loose and wobbles - 2001 Ford Escort ZX2

any loose front end part could cause loose steering i would jack it up and check the rest first a idler arm will cause a wobble as well

If the gear selector stick is too loose and wobbles around without falling into a click position, then it is possible that the gear box has issues and this might need professional help with equipments to remove the gear box and reset. It can be due to wearing off in the gear box , fault in selectors, counters and play in shaft bushes.
You will need to remove to confim the worn out components before an overhauling is needed.

It sounds like you might have a bad busing in your shift linkage. The run from the bottom of your shifter to the transmission check those bushings and make sure that everything is in place under your shifter. Hope that helps you.

ask a local mechanic to double check the linkage but its possible its broke on the bottom of the selcetor shaft inside the gearbox

sounds like your washers/bearings/spacers finally degraded. To make sure, pop off the little flexy cover. You will see a linkage that goes straight into the transmission. If the bearings there (the little white plastic ones) look eaten up, that's most likely your problem.

There can be play inthe shift levers, play in the connecting links.
One there is play then the levers will not move firmly and so it will not have the postion correct to shift the notches inthe gearr box.
So you may have to see if there is any nylon washers or links that are loose and needs a tightening, if the shift lever shows a wobble then it needs this correction.

take out the console, look on youtube for videos of others doing this. most likely you are going to need a saturn shifter bushing repair kit which you can get on ebay for less than 20 bucks.

The exact same thing happened with my 93 accent. Did u ever find out what was wrong???

you have to remove the console cover to get access to the bolts that hold the shift assembly to the floor. I think there are 4.

You probably have to remove the shift bezel cover (PRNDL), remove the shift knob to get the console off.

Under the dash above the pedals look to see if the linkage has come loose. you will need to get a good light and turn upside down and squeeze up in there, once positioned haved some one move the shifter and you will see if it has come loose. I had lost one screw in mine and thought I lost the entire transmission, couldnt get it in any gear, now its still a bit loose but replaced the screw and was able to shift again.