Car drives fine but when I pulled into parking spot could not shift into reverse or park. My husband called a couple service centers and we were told about the shiftlock release. I was so relieved to be able to reverse! Anyways, all day I had to pull out my husbands knife to reverse and park/drive. Don't really have the money to go to service center if it's something we can fix at home. Any ideas?
I just finished fixing my mothers 2009 Hyundia Santa Fe 3.3L AWD. I had borrowed her SUV while she was away, went out one morning and it was very difficult to shift into drive and when it did it stuck in that position. I read about the shift lock release but that didn't help so I removed the center console to see if anything was broken and to check the shift cable. (don't do this its to much work) All I did was remove the battery and battery base, this exposes the shift linkage and shift cable. I un-clipped the cable from the transmission to verify the shifter and cable work properly.(this is a good time to use the shift lock release button) I then tried to remove the shift arm on the transmission and when I applied torque on the nut, the shift arm released as if dirt or corrosion was holding it in place. (the SUV was parked outside for 3 days)I sprayed the shifter arm and moved it to all positions many times, reassembled everything and it all works fine.
This problem is sometimes caused by a defective brake light switch. It provides power to the shift lock switch to enable gear shifting. There is a TSB for this issue so it can be fixed at the dealer for free.
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My Grand Marquis shift indicator offset. Car was stuck in reverse/neutral/drive. Had to take the bottom of dash apart where pedals are and tighten a couple of torx screws.
Is it only when you go from park to reverse? Or is it just as bad going from neutral to reverse? I've noticed on mine that it's often tight if I park on even a slight slope. If it only happens when going from park to reverse, try this. Hold your foot on the brake, and put the car in drive. Keeping constant pressure on the brake, go back to park, then back into drive. Did you feel the stiffness when you had your foot on the brake?
had the same problem a few months back. right next to your stick shift [automatic] there is a little cilrcle. pop that peice of plastic out and stick a screw driver streight down. there is a little flapper that is conected to your breaks by a cable. it wont let you take the car out of park without your foot on the breaks, the cable may be broke. if you push the flapper down with the screw driver then you should be able to get the car out of park. if that works you know that your cable from breaks to that flapper is bad. i didnt replace mine i just drive around with a screwdriver stuck in the hole. you kindda have to fish around with the screwdriver to get it in the right spot but that should solve your problem. i pulled up to the pumps to get gas and when i went to leave the car wouldnt go out of park, so some guy came and showed me what to do and it has worked fine sense. good luck
it maybe whats called torque lock, you put the car in park and didn't apply the brake, and trans. shifter locked maybe try rocking the car and then try to shift,hope this helps.
I have the same problem. ALTHOUGH this will not Solve your problem, it
will make things easier. It is apparently a transmission sensor error.
It ONLY comes on when you try to go in reverse. I have been driving my
car for 4 months now and I don't go in reverse anymore and the problem
stopped. of course its hard, I only park in places I can pull out of,
or park uphill so I can neutral backwards. Its a hassle but hey I'm a
student with no money to fix this ****.
Also, When the light
goes on, if you put the car in drive, it usually gets stuck in one gear
and cant shift properly. making your engine sound weird. to fix this,
you have to find a spot that's uphill. Park on an incline where the
front of your car is pointing up. turn off the engine, turn it back on
again and it should shift fine now. the engine light will go away in
like a day or two after this. and wont come back on unless you go in
reverse.
p.s. If you ever feel the need to go in reverse, you
should probably put the car in neutral and try pushing it first to see
if that works.
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