02 impala trans shift lever sticking

I have an 02 Impala 3.4L with about 100,000mi. The car sat unused for 1 week in 20 degree temps (not unusual where we live). For the next week the transmission shift lever movement was very hard until finally the shift cable broke. It's a six passenger car so the shift lever is on the column.

The shop says the selector lever on top of the trans (inside engine compartment) was moving very hard and he kept spraying it with PB blaster and moving it back and forth to free it up. To getthe car into his garage he had to hit the lever with a hammer to break it free. It works now but it still seems to take more effort to move it that it used to.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so what was the solution. The shift cable is special order and takes a week to get so I hate to have another one break.

The problem was the shaft going into the tranny was binding up internally. The transmission had to be dropped and the shaft replaced. Had a shop do it, it's too big a job for me.