97 Blazer gear selector problem

[NJStricker]

Hi guys,

I've tried searching through the forums here and couldn't find any informaiton on the issue I'm having, so I thought I'd post a question here.

I have a 97 Blazer 4x4 with 135K miles. I am having a problem with the gear selector, specifically the release button to take the transmission out of Park is very hard to push in. Once I get it out of Park I have no problem shifting into gear (R, N, or D) and have no problem going from D to R, or even back to Park.

I've had the vehicle for 4 years, and it only started doing this recently. I can take it out of Park, but I have to slam the button in to do it. It feels as if it is catching on something.

Any suggestions? Bad spring? Bad linkage somewhere?

Thanks in advance!

[4x4 blazerguy]

Take the boot off & everything is right there. Should be easy to see what is binding. I'm assuming it is a floor shift.
The boot is just clipped in. the plastic on the bottom of boot has clips I believe on the ends.

[NJStricker]

Thanks! Yes--floor shift. Good to know about the clips. I was afraid I'd have to tear the whole console apart.

[inafogg]

seen alot of floor shift modles that get gummed up in shifter solinoid due to people
spilling drinks soda,coffee,ect. then the sugar gets into the system

[NJStricker]

Where is the solenoid located?

I popped the boot out this afternoon. Nothing loose, nothing broken. I'll have to investigate the solenoid idea, but otherwise it seems to me it's hanging up mechanically at the lower end of the gear selector shaft, or else up in the handle part of the assembly.

[4x4 blazerguy]

The button maybe gummed up. Also there should be a a release when you step on the brake that releases the shifter. It is under the boot also. That maybe the solenoid being referred to. You should hear & see it release. You can manually bypass the release with I believe it is a white plastic piece by the shifter. It has been awhile since I pulled mine apart. I blew a brake light fuse, which also controls the shifter release solenoid. Without a picture of the shifter under the boot my memory isn't as good as when I was young. But I don't do too bad for being an old man.

[NJStricker]

OK, so it sounds like a plan of attack is coming together. Check the fuses, investigate to locate the solenoid and see if it's working, and barring those 2, look for mechanical hangup in the mechanism itself. Sound good?

[NJStricker]

OK, an update. . .

Finally checked the fuses and then tore into the floor console.

Fuses are all good.

Took off the boot, and removed the rest of the floor console so that I could get a good look at the innards. It's pretty clean other than some dust, crumbs, and a couple of pennies I apparently lost (or inherited from the previous owners ).

Anyway, with the key in the on position and my foot on the brake, the solenoid armature does activate (pushes outward toward the passenger side). I tried doing the bypass I've read about elsewhere (depressing that armature using the white plastic lever above it). That still does not allow me to depress the button on the gear selector to take it out of Park.

I can slam my hand against the button to depress it and take it out of Park, and in moving the selector to another gear the solenoid arm depresses toward the driver's side. At which point changing gears is not a problem, the button on the selector works just fine when changing from D or N to R.

Does anyone have a suggestion on what to look for next?