Shifter got stuck in park

'99GX/3.5/94K here.

Oh man, was this a sucky few minutes. I'd just left the grocery store tonight and decided to get a wash at the automatic wash across the street.

I pulled up onto the ramp/bars thingy and went a bit too far up. I reversed a tad and stopped when the light said to and put in park. This is a wash where you sit and the machine goes around you, so I don't think neutral/no brakes rule applies.

So the wash finishes and I tried to shift to drive, I couldn't get the button to depress or move the shifter at all. I tried shutting the car off and restarting, engaged/disengaged parking break but that didn't help at all. I even tried forcing the button with two hands.

I didn't have a phone on me, and there was no attendant at the wash, so I told some dude the situation and asked if I could borrow his phone. He agreed but was giving a friend directions at the moment, so I went back to the car to get my insurance info. (First I thought I'd call the cops, but then remembered I gots roadside assistance coverage).

So while I'm back at the car I tried shifting again, and thank gooness, this time it goes. I thought my car might be stuck in a car wash bay for hours at 10pm on saturday night, and with a load of groceries in back to boot.

I don't know if this was caused by a problem with the shifter, and I should have it checked, or if the position of the front tires on the wash ramp thing may have been the cause. This is the first time I've had any prob with the shifter. I thought maybe the weight shift from my getting out of and back into the car is what got the thing free, but I don't know.

I just hope it doesn't happen again. Could really suck if it happens at an inopportune time.

Thanks for any thoughts on the matter.

I belive there is a sensor of some sort that detects when you are pressing the brake and releases the button to allow you to shift.

There is also a park/neutral safety switch that will only allow you to start the car if it is in either park or neutral.

Another little known fact, if the key is in the ACC position, you can push in on the button and shift into whatever gear you like, at least on my car you can.

So if this were to happen again, you should potentially be able to put the car in the ACC position, move the shifter to neutral, and then start the car and drive as you normally would.

I believe these sensors are located on the transmission maybe? or if not they are at least exposed to the elements, and something probably got wet.

Either that or it was just a complete fluke or sign of things to come:grinyes:

Thanks for your input, Hoov.

It never happened before and hasn't happened in the few days since, so hopefully it was a fluke. I habitually have my foot on the brake when going out of park, and when shifting between R and D.

I'm not at all knowledgeable about cars, beyond the basics anyway, but I really think the odd position the front tires were in was the cause.

At the car warsh, I pulled up at most a few inches too far onto a small steel ramp, positioned inside a rail. Not sure what their functions are aside from assuring your car is in a position wheres it won't get banged-up by the washer thing. The 'out of position' light came on, and I reversed a few inches at most when the stop light came on and I put in park.

When I got out of the car, I did notice that the front driver's side tire was pressed against the side rail a bit. Again, I know squat here, but I feel like the tire position maybe triggered some mechanism. The only thing I did between the shifter being totally locked-up and then normal was to get out and back into the car.

Sorry for the lame post, but I thought I'd do a brief update.