I can't get my 1998 Monte Carlo out of park unless it has been started for at least 15 minutes. Then it shifts from park as if nothing was wrong. It used to only occur when it was freezing outside, now it happens more often and even on warmer days. This is not only frustrating but yikes the cost of gas. I need help. What could possibly be the cause of this problem?

:banghead:

Welcome to AF, it could be a frozen shift cable, but it could also be a bad shift interlock solenoid .

Just skimming through some of the posts today, and noticed this one. I'm having the same problem with my 98.... when I go to start my car in the morning, if it's cold out, it takes a while for me to get her out of park, it doesn't do this during the summer yet.... hopefully it doesn't get to the point. Is there anything else this could be besides my car being moody .... it has no issue after it's been running for a while to shift in and out of park even if it's been sitting for an hour or two, but anything over that it tends to freeze up again. Think it's worth taking her in to get looked at?

Anything in the shift mechanism to the handle can bind in cold weather.

The shift cable is junk and I have seen this happen.You get it from the dealer only and come in two pieces bought separately.

My 95 Z34 also does the same thing.(for 3 years) My brother had to take off the shifter handle now I have to beat rod in. I have had it the shop many times they fix this and that but the problem remains.

just for sake of asking, will it come out of park with car off? try this, set parking brake, put in neitral if can, and start it that way.

This may not be your problem, but I had a similar problem with my F=150. It had to do with the brake interface being shorted out and would not sense that the brake was depressed, thus wouldn't allow me to shift out of park. I figured this out purely by accident when I was able to put the transmission into neutral with the engine off and then get it into gear after starting it in neutral. I'd check your brake pedal switch for a possible intermittent short.