Ventilation mode control cable bent, won't move with dial

While investigating why my ventilation system was stuck on defrost I found the mode control cable was disconnected from the dial arm. I manually changed the mode (from defrost to face, feet, etc.) with the mechanism the cable connects to by the gas pedal, which worked fine. The cable itself is bent where it meets the heater control assembly, and when reconnected to the dial arm it's too flimsy to push through the sleeve. Not sure if there's a way to help it move more easily without binding/bending, or if it's necessary to install a new cable. If that's the case where would I find one? Tried looking online without much luck for solutions and a replacement cable. Tried to upload a photo, hopefully it worked, not too computer savvy haha. Thanks in advance for any advice.