Column shift stuck!

[sprucegoose]

Lately I have this intermittent problem with my shifter not wanting to move freely. It is weird, because it will go away as quickly as it comes on. It does seem like it is stickier when it is cold though. It seems kind of stiff for example when I go to put it into R to back out of the driveway, and sometimes next to impossible to get it D then. I have to yank it back and forth and then I'll finally get it to go into D. The next time I stop, or go to try it, it will be fine.

Then, maybe the next day maybe it won't show up at all! What could be causing this? Could it be something inside the column, or in the shifter linkage? I have looked down below where the linkage connects to the lever on the trans, and that seems to be free...

OK, so now I’m stuck… As I was writing this I thought I’d go out and try it, (without the motor running) to be able to best describe how it acts. So I pulled the shifter down with the key in the “run” position and now it is stuck in 2! Help! I’ll have to look at it later, as I have to run now. Lucky I have another vehicle to use…

[777stickman]

1. At the tranny itself. Disconnect the cable and try it.
2. Ignition switch. Something busted in there.
3. Brake/Tranny Shift Interlock Solenoid located right side of column. The book says you can pop it off with a screwdriver.

Everything else points to something goofy in the column itself.............Steve

[sprucegoose]

Thanks for the tips Steve. I just got in from the garage, got it loose by taking a crescent wrench on the linkage rod with the wife moving the lever. It still won't go below 3rd, so I'm running the truck now to warm up the trans to see if that makes a difference.

Yes, I tried to disconnect the cable from the linkage, that was my first thought too. I can't get this rectangular white plastic retainer popped out. First you slide back this black sleeve, and it looks like you should push it out to release the cable end. Don't want to force it and break it. Do you know how this comes off? It looks like it has a little hook in each corner, but compressing those and pushing inwards with a screwdriver didn't seem to budge it.

I don't think it is the Brake/Tranny Shift Interlock. I had that go in my 93 GMC van and it felt/acted quite different. I'll still check it out though.

[sprucegoose]

Warming up the truck, including taking it out for a 10 minute drive, didn't seem to help much... It maybe is a little looser in P-3rd, but any time you try and put it into 2nd it gets hung there, and I really have to force it to get it back towards P. Won't go into 1st at all.

Obviously Park-Drive gets the most use, and an occaisional shift down to 3rd in hill climbing or trailering. I'm wondering with 183K miles the cable or linkage is just getting worn or sticking in the little used areas more?

I'm going to wait for the rain water to drip off it for a while, and then go at that connector again. Anyone have a service manual that describes the shift cable removal procedure?

[777stickman]

My '98 C/K manual only says to "Disconnect the cable end from the tranny range select lever ball stud." Nothing on "how" to do it and I can't help 'cause I haven't done it. The manual has a picture, but it's no help either........Steve

[sprucegoose]

Hmmm... Thanks again 777Stickman, I'll have to go out and take another look at it pretty quick...

I wonder if all the yanking on the shift lever I've done hasn't maybe deformed this plastic retainer plug enough to make it difficult to pop out? If nothing else I'll take the nut off the shaft that goes into the trans, and see how the cable feels with it disconnected there.

[sprucegoose]

OK, found the problem... After removing the nut and dropping the cable, it definitely was still tight in the cable. Took off these wire-ties that hold the accordian-shaped boot that covers the cable end down there. There was a ton of crust and corrosion in there! I brushed it all off and spayed Tri-flow teflon lube on it while working it back and forth. It moves freely now.

On to next problem... Now after putting it back together it doesn't go all the way into Park!! It seems like it goes into the notch with the lever, but the indicator doesn't show it, and of course the parking pawl doesn't engage so it would just coast away! Highly undesireable! I have to start it in N right now also.

Is there some kind or adjustment on the cabe somewhere? Did I stretch it or knock something out of whack while I was working on it? The lever only bolts onto the cable in one position, it has a flat area on the lever that matches the shaft coming out of the trans. Help please!

[777stickman]

Dave: Good job finding the problem. Here's what my '98 C/K manual says for adjusting the cable. I'm not going to quote it but rather say what it says in my own words.

1. Disconnect the cable end again.
2. Put the shift lever in "park".
3. Put the tranny shift lever in "park"(lower end of lever all the way forward. From all the way aft to all the way forward should be 6 clicks)
4. On the cable end, slide the black retaining clip fwd. This will expose a white lock button. (I think you've already found that from previous posts).
5. Push the white locking button out towards the drivers side(that's what the picture shows) but take care to not push it out all the way!!
6. This will free up the internal cable so that you can hook it back up to the tranny shift lever.
7. When you've got the adjustment made hook the cable end back up and push the white locking button back in and slide the black retainer back over it.

Hope this helps you man...............Steve

[sprucegoose]

Thanks again for the reply Steve. So it sounds like that white plug is actually some kind of locking mechanism to hold the cable at a certain position? I'm now picturing that cable end to have some kind of notches in it to have some adjustment capability. I don't understand how mine would have got out of adjustment, because I never did get that to budge. I just took the nut off the trans shaft and popped that whole lever off.

I'll have to look at it again tomorrow as it is getting to late now. Hopefully I can get that loose enought to make the adjustment as you described. I know it is not far off, because if I help it along pushing with one finger on that lever down there while my wife was shifting it would go into park.

[jermiester1]

Okay guys you are going to think this is crazy but I have a 99 Tahoe that all the sudden the shift lever would not go into reverse or park. Long story short, what I found was not at the tranny, it was under the dash. Lay on the floor and look up under the dash at the steering column and find the cable for the shifter. I found on mine that there was a piece of large rubber band stuck on the shift cable where it enters the housing and was causing it to jam. I have no idea where the rubber band came from, but once I removed it, the problem was gone. Good luck.

[777stickman]

Originally Posted by jermiester1

Okay guys you are going to think this is crazy but I have a 99 Tahoe that all the sudden the shift lever would not go into reverse or park. Long story short, what I found was not at the tranny, it was under the dash. Lay on the floor and look up under the dash at the steering column and find the cable for the shifter. I found on mine that there was a piece of large rubber band stuck on the shift cable where it enters the housing and was causing it to jam. I have no idea where the rubber band came from, but once I removed it, the problem was gone. Good luck.

Welcome to the forum and good job. Thanks for the post as it's folks like you who lead us all to the unexpected places for a fix............Steve

[sprucegoose]

Woohoo! On the road again! That little white plug is the key. I still can’t figure out why the cable was out of adjustment, but I popped that plug out and slid it out about 1/8” further and it works great now. It was pretty corroded in there also, so it took some penetrating oil and a little rapping with a square end punch to get it to slide. There are fine serrated slots in there, so you have to line them up before sliding the plug back in place.

Thanks again Steve for the clue there, that helped tremendously. I looked under the column also Jermiester1, just in case there was anything funky going on there, but no rubber band. It never surprises me what you do occasionally find in machines etc., because everyone is human and has a bad day or makes a mistake sometime. One time I was working on a brand new German precision surface grinder when the hydraulics started to whine something terrible. I immediately shut it down, and when the maintenance mechanic and I opened it up there was a half pair of jeans jammed inside the hydraulic reservoir! Some guy probably went on break while he was building the machine, and forgot the rag in there…

[sprucegoose]

Well, so much for that fix... The cable broke tonight and I had to slide under it in a parking lot in the rain to shift it by hand to get her home! I figured it was on it's way out as the cable had begun to get tight again.

Looks like a new cable is in order, and I'm sure not easy to replace. $63 with s/h on www.gmpartsdirect.com Anyone else know where I can get one quick for less than that?

Thanks!

[sprucegoose]

FYI...

Just got the truck back from the garage. $192 total damages to replace the cable. It snapped near the end under the column, where the steel rod portion conects to the cable strands. Like I said, 185K and stuff is going to wear out. I can't imagine how many times that shifter has been moved back and forth!