Cavalier :: Car Won't Shift Out Of Park With Engine Running

I have a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire 2.4L 4 door (AT) with 132K miles on it. I have been having a little bit of difficulty for a year or so with the key not always wanting to turn without jiggling it a bit, since I've had cars before with this issue, I just fiddle with it till it turns.

A few weeks ago, I turned it on, and though the engine was running, it prevented me from shifting out of park, then I noticed that even though the engine was running, the AC wasn't working, and the gauges were not working. I even revved the engine a bit to make sure that my ears were not fooling me with the engine running, discussed it a bit with my husband (in passenger seat), then turned it off. While discussing whether we should get his keys to take his car, then I tried it again. It turned over, ran just fine and I forgot about it as a one-off anomaly. (Note: I never keep more than 4 keys and a few plastic key fobs for the grocery stores on my key ring, because I don't want the weight to mess up the ignition. I have a second key ring for my work keys that is kept separate.)

Last Friday, I'm getting ready to come home to start my one week vacation, and it did it again. So, I turned it off, waited a couple seconds, and tried to start it again. I saw the "Theft Deterrent" light on the dashboard and tried to turn the ignition off. It wouldn't turn off at all. It stayed running the whole hour until the tow truck showed up, and I gave myself a blister trying to get the ignition to turn off.

I verified is the system in my car here

[URL]................

MODEL YEAR(S): SUNFIRE 2000 -2003

KEY: N/A

T-HARNESS: GM-7

IMMOBILIZER: GM's PASSLOCK 2 ANTI-THEFT System, Requires: 791 Bypass Module

The tow truck driver pulled the fuel pump fuse to get the car to shut off, which occurred to me just about the same time that she did it. Then she disconnected the shifter linkage, so it could be put in neutral to tow it. As it was now 10PM by the time I got home, all I was worried about was running the battery down since it was still "on". I disconnected the battery and came in to wait til the morning to start researching.

Now, I discover that I should not have disconnected the battery. I wonder if it could be the magnet inside the ignition that is preventing it from turning off. It did feel like there was something inside preventing it from inserting completely and possible for the key to be pulled out while in the on position.

Because of the airbag, I'm very reluctant to try to replace the ignition switch myself. I know when I'm in over my head, and this is one of those times.

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Ford Excursion :: Hard To Shift From Park While Running In Cold?

As it's progressively grown colder (which may or may not be related), my truck has grown all but impossible to shift from park into reverse neutral or drive with the engine running when the truck is cold. I often have to shut the engine off, and once I do it immediately is very easy to shift out of park into neutral, and then I can restart the engine. Once the truck has been driven some, it's not hard to get out of park, but if it's shut off for some time (an hour maybe) it will be difficult to shift out of park again. I don't know how to begin troubleshooting this.

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Ford Super Duty (1999-2016) :: 2003 Won't Shift Out Of Park When Running

2003 7.3 powerstroke won't shift out of park when running. When my plugs are warming I have to shift into neutral then start truck. Works just fine after that unless I go in to park again. Brake lights work just fine. So I am guessing brake light switch is fine. What's next to check?

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Ford Ranger / B-Series :: 1997 Won't Shift Out Of Park

I have a '97 Ford Ranger with an automatic transmission that wouldn't shift out of park last night. A friend opened the hood and jiggled the steering column some, and finally it shifted. We checked the transmission fluid and it is full, a dark brown color. What the problem might be?

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Ford F-150 - 1997-2003 :: Gear Shift - Stuck In Park

I have a '97 F150 Lariat Ext cab, 5.4, 2Wd, 175K, a bit rusty but for the most part functional. Unit is parked for long periods of time.

3 - 4 years back the gear shift did not want to go into PARK and and the gear indicator was out of register. Unit would not start and I had to move shift lever to N to start. Fixed the two screws on shift plate/column per this site. Then 18 months ago same thing begin to occur but this time I used blue thread lock to hold screws in place. Still had to throw into park to get it to stay.

6 months ago shifter became very difficult to move and near impossible to get into PARK. When in PARK the interlock must have not been engaged so had to move to N or push lever hard into PARK to start.

Tired of this so I cruised the site and found several posts on taking dash apart, repairing a broken shift tube and or replacing bushings.

Battery disconnected, dash apart, cluster out, steering wheel still on and steering column still in position. Shift tube appears OK, i.e. not broken as in one post, bushings appears OK as there is no play or slop evident, but I cannot get the shift lever to move from PARK, period.

When the shift lever is pulled toward the wheel, a pawl on the tube causes a plastic or nylon arm to move about 90 degrees. It must be a stop or safety of some sort. I have not dug deep enough to see the shift plate with the two screws. At 75 I find it difficult to lay upside down to reach and hope I can get to them from the top.

Questions:

1. How do I get it out of PARK to check all things on shift tube and gear selector units?
2. Does the battery need to be connected for the interlocks to function?
3. Do I need to drop the column to check on shift tube items?
4. With a rusty trans, can the shift cable to trans connection be the problem?
5. What to look for, how to repair. etc.

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Ford F-150 - 1997-2003 :: Running Hot When Sitting Still In Park

I have a 1998 ford f150 with a 4.6 v8 it has about 170,000 miles on it. The truck seems to run hot when sitting still in park. I have replaced the radiator, the thermostat. I am lost at what could be causing this issue. when I am going the truck will cool down however if you ever let it get hot it takes longer to cool it down as opposed to getting in it and just going and not sitting before going.

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Ford F-150 - 1997-2003 :: Unable To Shift Out Of Park And Brake Lights Not Working

A couple times recently, I've been unable to shift my truck out of Park & the brake lights don't work.

After checking the related fuses & finding them to be ok, it all works again.

What might be causing this to happen?

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Ford F-150 - 1997-2003 :: 1998 - Brake Shift Interlock - Truck Stuck In Park

having problem w/ 98 f-150. first truck stuck in park. figured out how to get around that (turn key 1 position, shift to neutral, start vehicle, then engage transmission). but no brake lights! I have turn signals, driving lights, hazards, etc in rear. I disconnected harness from brake light switch. there are 2 leads, 1 hot, 1 not. i jumped them and no brake lights. i tested the switch and it functions properly (it's reconnected now). i changed my bulbs in tail lights. I unplugged the solenoid (which is impossibly located behind/beside steering column). this allowed me to shift like an old truck (without having to brake first), but doesn't solve my lack of brake lights (i've reattached the solenoid harness to remind me of my problems).

i am putting my money on a broken wire somewhere between the brake light switch (b/c that was good) and the solenoid (i am not hearing that faint click when i step on brake). but a broken wire should work by accident some of the time (unless cut cleanly and completely). there is a green wire with red stripe leaving the brake light switch and 3 wires at the solenoid harness (1 green and maybe a smaller gauge than those at the switch and 2 others which i don't recall their colors). Ford service manager doesn't think it's the solenoid but wasn't otherwise useful except to say, "hey, why don't you bring it in to me." What to look for before i plunk down for someone to perform what I already have before completing the job!

can i splice a wire from something (? brake light switch?) to something (?wire in solenoid harness?) or does that "electronic signal" get processed somewhere else first?

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Ford F-150 - 1997-2003 :: Running Rough - Surging In Park / Drive And Reverse

I have a 1997 ford f150 5.4 litre truck and the truck runs real rough kinda surging in park and in drive and reverse i have a couple oxygen sensor codes P 0171, P0174, P0136, P1131, P1151 and an idle air control valve code P1506...

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Acura :: 1997 - Won't Start Or Shift Out Of Park

My daughters boyfriend has a 97 Acura CL, 4 cylinder. He stopped by yesterday and now his car won't start. None of the accessories work, it will not shift out of park, the battery is fine, the headlights etc work fine. We checked the fuses and fusible links, replaced the ignition and cylinder, but the car still won't start. I am not sure what to try next, I did use the key to put the car into neutral but it didn't work. I need to get this kid out of my house, he lives 30 miles away!

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Ford - Focus :: Engine Shuts Off When Shift To Neutral Or Park And Take Foot Off Of The Brake

I have a 2003 Ford Focus with the Zetec 2L, 16 valve. When the car is warm and I put it in neutral or park and take my foot off of the brake it will occasionally shut off. Not stall, but shut off - as though I turned the key. This doesn't happen every time; it usually doesn't. I have no other drivability problems and there are no warning lights or engine codes. The ideas I have are:

- Vacuum/ brake booster leak
- MAF problem or dirty throttle body
- Something weird going on with the transmission shift interlock mechanism.

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Ford Super Duty (1999-2016) :: F450 Would Not Stay Running Almost As If Out Of Fuel When Cold

Got a 99 F450 7.3 with 190k miles, started acting sluggish. When cold, it wouldn't stay running, almost as if out of fuel. Would stall out when you pressed and released the accelerator but would idle fine. Now, it won't even stay running. Still acts like it's out of fuel. Changed the air filter, fuel filter, and added injector cleaner and conditioner. What else could it be? after warming up when shifting gears and letting off throttle it stalls and when restarted lets off blueish white smoke.

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Lexus RX 2004-09 :: Engine Will Start But Gear Shift Won't Move Out Of Park

I have a 2004 RX with 82,000 miles, well maintained. Lately the engine will start but the warning lights won't go off and the gear shift won't move out of park. I have to keep turning the vehicle on and off until the gear shift will go in reverse.
It doesn't happen every day but off and on over the past month.I've had numerous brake light switches replaced which could maybe be the lights, would that affect the transmission too?

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Impala - Chevrolet :: 2007 - Hard To Shift Out Of Park On Cold Engine

2007 Chevrolet Impala 1LT3.5L Flex Fuel EngineAuto Transmission with shift lever on the steering column29,980 miles

Bought new Nov 2006 so is now four and a half years oldThe drive train is still under warranty (6 years or 60,000 miles). All recommended service per the manufacturers manual has been done. Book calls for first transmission service at 50,000 miles

NOTE: Previously at 19,600 miles the transmission cooler line fittings were replaced due to a small leak. Currently no evidence of a leak; no fluid on garage floor and the transmission fluid level on the stick shows right on the mark. Fluid still clean pale red and has no odor.

Majority of my driving is short hops with multiple stops, so the car gets heavy use shifted into and out of park gear. I do use the "parking brake" applying it after shifted into park and released before shifting out of park. I always have my foot on the brake pedal when shifting out of park.

PROBLEM: Having trouble shifting out of park on a cold engine or if the car has been sitting for an hour or more since turned off and put into park gear. Oddly enough, if I'm running a series of errands where the car has been in park for only 5 to 30 minutes, there is no problem shifting out of park gear. But if the car sits long enough for the engine to cool then it becomes hard to shift. The longer the time it sits in park the harder it is to shift out of park when the car is started.

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Park Avenue :: 1992 - Hard To Shift Into Park From Other Gears

1992 Buick Park Avenue, Base. For awhile now I've had trouble shifting into park from other gears. Sometimes, it'll flow right into park without trouble. Other times, I have to work it, to kind of baby it in. However, it simply will not shift into park from reverse. Period. If I'm in reverse and want to park, I have to go into drive, neutral, etc, and then try to move it into park.

A mechanic I know looked at the neutral safety switch and thought it could be causing the problem. We figured it wasn't in the steering column or the cable to the switch because if we disconnect the cable, you can slide that lever all day long. So I purchased a new neutral safety switch and had him install it, but the same problem is there. Actually, let me clarify: while it was in his garage, with the old switch, it would no longer go into park at all, regardless (kind of decided to just stop altogether). At least with the new switch we can baby it into park, but it is basically back to where it was last week. He mentioned it might be deeper in the transmission, but that's out of his league.

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Prius (2010-12) :: Engine Making Noise In Park While Running?

My wife bought a new 2010 Prius Hybrid. It has consistently achieved 51+ miles per gallon. She bought it in June-2010 and at the 7000 mile mark (October?) called me concerned about a noise it was making under the hood. She described it as akin to the noise a playing card made when as a child you fastened it to the spokes of a bicycle. Chattering? It lasted 15-30 seconds and went away, before engaging in reverse or forward. A trip to the dealership was fruitless, an "intermittent episode" the diagnosis.

Now, nothing since until today. Same noise again, 12,000 mile mark, goes away in same timeframe, in park. Only today, through the course of several errands, her dash MPG indicator reads 39 MPG. She is waiting as we speak in the dealer lobby as they plug into the computer hunting for fault codes, etc. Having issues, especially an indicated dropoff in MPG seemingly in conjunction with such a noise?

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Prius (2004-09) :: Engine Keeps Running At The Stop Signs / In Park

2004 prius with 170k. Basically , his engine just doesn't shut off. battery is full. Engine keep running at the stop signs, in park. No engine light on.

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Santa Fe (CM - 2007-12) :: 2009 - Engine Wouldn't Start / Shift Lever Was Stuck In Park

I have a 2009 Santa Fe and last night, out of the blue, the engine wouldn't start. The shift lever was stuck in park and the brake pedal was very stiff and wouldn't move much. I popped the cap off the shift lock and moved it to neutral at which time the car started without a problem. I could drive but shifting was difficult and the lever didn't really click into a gear. I noticed that when shifting gears. the indicator on the dash would change from N to D and to R in reverse but when I moved up to park, the indicator went blank and the lever locked up again and had be released manually. I also noticed when I got home, since my driveway is a slope, that when the car seemed to be in park is rolled down the driveway, so I had to engage the emergency brake.

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Passat (B5) :: 1998 - Shift Indicator Lights All On - Rough Shift From Park

Today, without explanation the shift indicator on the dash on my 98 Passat Wagon highlights all gears. When you shift to any gear. . . . the display does not change. Further, shifting is rough from 'park.'

I noticed this problem after looking at all the fuses to see why the radio was not powering up. I have checked fuses. . . . and unplugged the battery and plugged it back in.

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