Stuck key and the BTSI

I've tolerated having to release my key with the manual push button for years. Now the interior is disassembled (after replacing evap core) so I'm looking into fixing the BTSI.

I've never been clear on whether the problem is in the console by the gear shift or in the steering column. The thing in the image is in the steering and has a solenoid that will mechanically allow the key to turn to the LOCK position when energized. The manual release is at the bottom. The post that retracts when energized that releases the key is circled. (For some reason, the image upload is failing.)

I connected the leads of that white thing to battery voltage and sure enough, the post retracts. So that seems to work. However, when connected to the car wiring, there is not enough voltage to retract. If I help it retract, it will hold. I concluded the problem is near the gear shift. Probing the lead (with the white thing disconnected) indicate battery voltage, but that's without any current.

Battery voltage is getting to the wiring harness in the console. Probing the leads to the Park switch indicates 90 ohms resistance. I suspect this is too high and causing a big voltage drop so there's not enough to energize the solenoid in the column.

So my question is: What can be replaced in the console to remedy this? Is it only the park switch?

Next question: How is the gear shift knob removed? I see a slit in the back of the knob, but don't know how the mechanism works.

I would like to repair this to work properly since it is a safety feature. But may be a bit reluctant to spend $$$ when I could simply remove that white part from the column.

Any advice is appreciated, as always.

Where the slot is, insert a pick and pry out the U-shaped retainer, then the top of the shifter comes of...

It's usually one or two problems......the BTSI solenoid/switch, or the wiring harness to the BTSI.....

If it's the BTSI, the whole shifter has to be replaced....

More often it's the wiring...in some cases, it's easy to determine because one of the wires to the harness connector is broken.....in some cases, the wiring INSIDE the insulation is broken, but the insulation is still intact....this happens because of the shifting causes the harness to "flex" over the lifetime of the car.....in some cases, the wire breaks right at the harness connector in the plastic connector....you have to replace the connector and add some wire to the broken wire to make your repair.....

Thanks for the reply. All indications are the park switch in the shifter assembly is bad. Power is present at the connector to the shifter (at pins F, E, B if I remember correctly). The output of pin C goes to the steering column and the key-release solenoid. When the key release solenoid should be energized but it's disconnected, battery voltage is present. When connected, voltage drops to less than two volts. Leads me to believe the park switch in the shifter is high impedance for some reason. Would like to confirm that directly but I don't get a resistance measurement between pins C and F at the BTSI in the shifter. There is continuity between the connector at the shifter and the positive pin in the connector in the column.

Gotta decide if I want to spend $250-$350 for the shift assembly to have the safety feature...which will probably never be needed, but if it is...

Or, you take the trim off your column, and take a plastic tie and go around the solenoid to keep the plunger in the retracted position......

But by doing this, this means the key can be turned and removed, while the shifter is not in the Park position...it's a safety feature.....

You can verify it's the solenoid/switch, by jumping "F"(pink) to "C"(purple/white), and then the key should come out(this is for test purposes only).....