Hard Shifting into Park

[RoraStar96]

I dont know if any of you folks have experienced this, but its very troubling.

When I try to put my car into park, the shifter has a REALLY hard time moving up to the park position. I am very gentle on my shifter when shifting into P from 3 or OD, easily shifting thru N and R but its very hard to shift into Park from that point. Tonight I really had to slam the shifter into park.

Any idea at all?

TIA

[zimaad]

hmmm..... could it be a shift solenoid? Don't you hate it when tranny's give you headaches. It's just hard to think of good things.

[RoraStar96]

Its a real pain bud...I am so good on my car, shifting in drive is flawless..

I'm stumped

[zimaad]

Now that I think of it, I've heard of an instance or two where the transmission cooler line gets twisted near the radiator, preventing the car from going into reverse and possibly forward. Not sure if your feeling a more mechanical stop issue though.

[RoraStar96]

Its a mechanical stop thing. Like the shifter is being forced from going into park. But shifting anywhere else is fine.

The tranny itself does not clunk.

sigh...oh going from P down into gear...no problems.

[zimaad]

Well, hopefully it is something in the shift mechanism and not the tranny. This may help lead you to which it is. When the button on the shifter is pushed in to go from R to P, a lever of some sort is actuated to enable the motion of the shifter from one detent to another. It's probably a piece of metal or something that is spring loaded and pivots around it's center to allow the shifter to move to the next detent. With the car started and in P, pull lightly towards R without pushing the button in. It shouldn't move. While maintaining pressure push the button and you should sorta "feel" it slide into R and feel it work around to the R detent. Do the same thing, but going from R to P. Do you get the same feel? Does the button/actuator seem to work ...like you can feel it start to slide...but something else(i.e...the transmission) is keeping it from going into P. If it seems like nothing is actuating when pressing the button, I'd probably try and open up the shifter console area and see why it can't go into the next detent. It's one of those times where it's hard to say without doing it you know. Is it a metal to metal mechanical stop feel or less firm, like plastic? Basically, I'm getting at is it the tranny or shifter mechanism. Maybe that'll help....maybe not. Either way, good luck.

[RoraStar96]

Gonna try that..wow thanks!

[madcatter]

Don't forget to count your change. I don't know how this would be a problem on an Aurora but anything's possible. A lot of people have spent a lot of wasted time and money on repairs for this sort of thing when the whole time it was just Abe Lincoln stuck in the shift linkage under the console.
-N8

[dsatt12]

I totally agree that it could be something interfering with the handle area. Maybe the plastic trim piece that sits around the base of the shifter handle is out of its track and binding up, or have said penny in there somewhere. It certainly ought to be worth taking a peek under there first, especially if there are no other symptoms of trouble from the tranny.

[rodtice]

Also could be the wiring for the gear indicator light or the performance shift button.

[RoraStar96]

I took it in.

Apparently, the retainer clip that holds the shifter button in place was cracked (go figure its plastic) so essentially the shifter was lifting each time I tried to go into park.

Just gotta pay for the labour...heh, where would find a clip like that anyway :-/

[RoraStar96]

its fixed..cost me nothing

Ya!

Thanks for the tips gents...

[RoraStar96]

Another case of talkin to myself again...

Does anyone know how to properly remove the gear shift handle on the classic Aurora, I know you have to be careful due to the Power Trans wires, but the dealer did a shoddy job of NOT properly reattaching the gear shift indicator light to the underside of the shifter. I have tried to remove the console but get stuck at the handle removal.

Anyone know?

[dsatt12]

Never having done this, I can only point you here:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...hlight=shifter

Maybe one of the guys that posted there can help if those directions don't cut it.

[RoraStar96]

that will do quite nicely, I was having a hard time finding that U clip, but I will look for the slit in the rubber boots.. Thx dsatt