HELP! My VX wont come out of park.

[smorris65]

Help, My truck will not come out of park.
It was towed the other night but i'm told it was on a flat bed. Does anyone have any ideas what the cause of this may be?

One thing to note, it looks like some kind of syrupy, fruit smelling something, maybe a slushie, was spilled on the shifter column by the tow truck driver.

I don't know how that could affect it though. Anyone, please?

[Locomigo]

Check the brake fuse. Often times, when that goes it prohibits the brake-park interlock from functioning. Verify brake fuses are good and go from there.

[smorris65]

Brake lights come on, so don't think it's the fuse. I did replace the front brake pads on Saturday so thought of the fuse and fluid level, which is also OK. was towed on Sunday. (You don't want to know). And I drove all day today. I am thinking PCM. Anyone familiar with that? Like I said, the tow driver appears to have spilled the cool aide on the shifter console.

[psychos2]

The system for that does not involve the pcm.When you push the brake pedal do you here a noise down by your feet? There is a switch that works off the brake pedal and uses a cable to release the shifter. This is most likely the problem. shawn

[VehiGAZ]

If there's a slushie down there, it could easily have bound up that cable with sticky residue.

Good luck!

[smorris65]

Very familiar with the brake pedal switch from another vehicle.
I didn't hear anything when I pushed doen on the brake, but the light's do come on. Today someone mentioned one of my tail lights was out but i don't think that would have anything to do with this. Does that brake switch aslo unlock the shifter from the park position. It is possible the brake switch is bad but appears to be working fine.

I was told there is a manual over ride under the shifter cover. Has anyone ever used that before?

[smorris65]

Also wondering if this could be the shift solenoid. I notice there is an A & B shift solenoid. Anyone familiar with that?

[blacksambo]

Your problem and solution could really be quite simple. What I sense is going on is a transmission fluid leak. Most likely at the PRNDL switch on the side. Check your tranny fluid level next. Once transmission fluid is restored to the correct level it will slide back into Drive easily upon steeping on the brake. It all has to do with transmission fluid pressure being correct. Let me know what you find. Thx.

[Tone]

NOT - how do people come up with these incredible and erroneous resolutions! A tranny will shift out of park with the engine off - has NOTHING to do with pressure or fluid level. Jammed Shift Interlock is the problem.

[smorris65]

You guy's are awsome. Tomorrow I'll be removing the center console and doing a clean up job. I hope that does it. I checked all brake fuses and all are good. I called Isuzu today and was told the slushie could very well be the problem, that a coke or anything sticky could cause the linkage to stick. But the solinoid sticking sounds very possible. I'll let you know what the end result is. Thanks all of you.

[blacksambo]

NOT - how do people come up with these incredible and erroneous resolutions! A tranny will shift out of park with the engine off - has NOTHING to do with pressure or fluid level. Jammed Shift Interlock is the problem.


No disrespect Tone but we have two '99 VX's and neither one of them will shift out of Park with the engine off, and that includes stepping on the brake pedal. They both seem to to need the engine vacuum in combination with transmission fluid pressure to activate the shift lever. I always notice in cold weather and we do have that here, that they go into gear faster with more brake pressure pressure on cold first start. Once the VX is warmed up, however, they slide into Drive instantly with moderate brake pedal pressure. That's been my experience.

[WILLY]

Thats weird!mine is a 01 and i can take it out of park with the engine off.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/05-Photo_5.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/05-Photo_5.jpg)

[VehiX]

I've got a 99 and it won't come out of park with the engine off.

[Techy-D]

I think the key to this is the KEY. (Like that Punn?)
My 99 won't shift out of park unless the key is in the accessory position (of course it also works with the engine is running). It needs the battery to pull in the release solenoid for the Park safety.

[Tone]

Think about what you are saying - it's a MECHANICAL linkage. Shifting once running is a totally different subject and does have to do with fluid, levels and temperature. The VX key will need to be in the ACC position to shift otherwise anyone who broke in could shift it to neutral and push it. Even with the mode selector out, it will work. I just went out and checked out an 08 Ford, 99 Buick, 94 Impala, 06 Vette, 05 Volvo and my 01 ML and they ALL behave the same way.....

It is the shift interlock that is the problem and nothing more. If work has been done under the dash it is not uncommon for the cable that connects brake pedal movement to the interlock to be kinked or bent enough to throw off the movement.

Also, if the wheel is put in a hard turned postion and then turned off and allowed to roll back or forward, it is not uncommon for the wheel to wedge itself stuck so that you can't remove the key or be able to turn it back on the next time.


No disrespect Tone but we have two '99 VX's and neither one of them will shift out of Park with the engine off, and that includes stepping on the brake pedal. They both seem to to need the engine vacuum in combination with transmission fluid pressure to activate the shift lever. I always notice in cold weather and we do have that here, that they go into gear faster with more brake pressure pressure on cold first start. Once the VX is warmed up, however, they slide into Drive instantly with moderate brake pedal pressure. That's been my experience.

[blacksambo]

Remarkably enough you are right Tone, and I'm the first to admit when I'm wrong and I am for sure here, they both go into Drive with key in Accessory and the engine is off, but it still does not answer why it's more difficult to shift into Drive in cold weather? Any thoughts? Thanks.

[kwynn]

My VX gets stuck in Park all the time, all I know is:
When you park it, if you have trouble getting it in to Park don't force it, that's how mine gets stuck in P. If you have trouble getting in in park, just try another gear like reverse let it roll back and gently try Park again...this has kept mine from getting stuck in Park for months.
The only way I ever found to get it unstuck from Park was to gently keep fiddling with it, with the brake pressed down...one time it took me hours.
My problem is a result from an accident when my chest was forced in to the gear shift and it hasn't been the same since...but I have learned to deal sucessfully.
I think the tow driver was rough with it...

[Twilight Imaging.net]

Just a side note...on the spilled drink...sounds unbelievable...but...

My 4 year old spilled a Wendy's coke I had in there climbing around (sheesh) and didn't say anything, the next day the shifter would not move at all. No matter the force I applied.
That stuff had sat and goobered everything together solid. I wrenched for 15 years and would never think that coke would do this...but it did. Nasty!
Water only is the rule inside the cab, hehe.
I am not saying this is what happened here, but it did happen to me...once!
Good Luck!
Oh, I think you owe us an explanation on why it was towed :cool: :)

[VCAMILO]

My truck will not come out of park

I have a solution for that one. Atleast how I got it fixed. My problem was the magnet that releases the shiftlever and allows it to get out of park. Take the entire plastic around the shiftlever and roll the leather up. find the magent that allow the shift level clip angage when you press on the brake pedal. now CLEAN IT HECK OUT of it. and viola! Thats happened to me three weeks after I spilled a SUPER GULP into my center console. The soda dries out and makes the magnet sticky not releasing the machanism when you press on the break pedal. I hope this helps. I think it took me about 30 minutes to all the work.

;)

[etlsport]

you could always cover it up to prevent that kinda stuff from happening in the future!
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/knobs_004.jpg

[WyrreJ]

Or only let diet soda in the cabin. That's probably my favorite thing about diet soda is that when it spills - there is no stickiness at all. Aside from stains, it might as well just be water.

[Cobrajet]

Or only let diet soda in the cabin.If I was forced to drink diet soda, I think there would be something more damaging than soda spewed on my interior... ;puke: