Gear won't shift out of Park! Anyone with solution?

[magda76]

Not sure what happened. All I know is I can't get the shifter out of park. Did all the manuels suggestions and didn't work. Anyone know what to do?
Thx
Magda

[Moncha]

When you hit the brake pedal, do you hear a click from under the dash?

[tom4bren]

Are you parked on a hill?

If you parked on a hill without using the parking brake, it could bind the driveline against the little tab in the tranny.

If that's the case, I can only think of 2 options (neither of which I like):

1. pull harder on the gear shift to overcome the binding.

2. pull the VX uphill slightly to relieve the binding.

If it's a tranny problem tho, I can't help ... sorry.

[magda76]

No Click when I hit the brake. I did manage to get it out of Park by putting starter in ACC and hand brake.
Now I'm wondering if I need to take it in. It seems to me that when I take the gear from D to R i get a clunk and a jerk. I think this has always been the case but now I can't tell if it's worse. Anyone have an opinion?

Thanks for all the help!

[magda76]

I should mention that right after I got the gear out of park and the engine running when I tried to go back to P I got a grinding soudn. I quickly put back in N cut the engine and put it back in P. Retried getting out of park with engine running and was successful after that and no grinding.

[tom4bren]

In the VX, clunk yes, jerk no.

I've had a clunk & jerk in another vehicle for 200K miles with no ill results tho.

[tom4bren]

Are the dash indicators behaving themselves?

There's a shift sensor that has gone bad for a few members but when that happens, the dash indicators start indicating wrong. The other symptom with that is hard shift from first to second.

[magda76]

No Indicators.
And the only jerk comes from going to R-to-D and then back again. Goes smoothly from P-R. and Down shifting from D.
What is shift shock? Is this an abnormal phenomenon in a vx?

[tom4bren]

Read this thread:

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=16183&highlight=transmission+clunk

There is a link to a Tech Service Bulletin in there too that sounds like what you're experiencing now (not with sticking in Park though).

[circmand]

may be a result of parking on the hill and not related to transmission problem. The extra stress may have just forced the issue to the front

[magda76]

So I'm thinking I'm okay. Going to take it to a shop for a diagnostic on the transmission. I want to make sure the pressure lines are good and as well as the mode switch. Things that people mention in the threads. It's due for a check up anyway.
Hopefully I won't get bamboozled.

[tom4bren]

"I did manage to get it out of Park by putting starter in ACC and hand brake."

Now ya got me thinkin. How is the iggy switch lock to the tranny shifter done. Could it just be a lube issue. I'll hafta look.

Good luck with your trip the the tranny shop. Let us know how it turns out.

[JoFotoz]

Hi magda...

If you need tranny work ( hope ya dont!) , I can recommend a really good guy here in San Diego with VX experience.

PM me if you want the details.

atb

jo

[circmand]

Hi magda...

If you need tranny work ( hope ya dont!) , I can recommend a really good guy here in San Diego with VX experience.

PM me if you want the details.

atb

jo


Not many guys are secure enough in their masculinity to admit they know and Tranny guys.

[magda76]

Thanks All.
I'll make sure to post the results.

Thx Jo,
I actually just moved out to ABQ. Need to update my profile.

[LittleBeast]

Before you do anything know that the magnet that disengages the shift lever to allow you to get out of park has been known to get "gunked" up with various things. The week after I spilled a sonic slush in the VX dash I could at times not get it out of PARK AT ALL. Others have had the same issue after spilling a soft drink it the VX. I have pictures of the cleaning process on my computer I can upload them if you want, it is pretty simple once you take the center console apart, you can see the metal box that has the magnet in it pretty easily. Sometimes it can just get dirty eventually and start sticking.