Tranny does not switch from Park when cold. (93 LeSabre)

[alkemist]

Hello,


93 LeSabre we have does not switch gears from Park when the car is cold and just started. I can only switch from Park after 2-5 mins of warming up or when the car is already warmed up.

What is the probable cause of this? Id love to fix this issue.
Might changing tranny fluid + filter do the trick perhaps?



Appreciate concern + thank you very much.

[Bassasasin]

Do you have any codes?

The shifter shifts but the transmission doesn't?

How many miles on the transmission?

Sounds like a problem.
May help to put an additive in it. A valve is flaky cold.


Good Luck

[HotZ28]

More than likely, you have leaking seals to the input clutch in the input housing. As they get older, they get brittle and don't seal to the housing like they should. When the seals leak, it will cause the input clutch pressure to drop off and not apply the clutches. Once the fluid starts to warm up, the seal gets softer and they start to seal. It will usually be fine until the fluid is cold again.

The only permanent solution for this is to remove and replace the seals. This would also be a good time to put a complete rebuild kit in the trans.

BTW, you can get an additive at the dealer, similar to Lucas or Sea Foam that will soften the seals and may work for a while; however, this is not the long-term cure!


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[DjDio]

I had this problem with my van with the same tranny and i changed the fluid/filter and added Lucas. It fixed the problem and i have put 20,000 miles on it since. Im not saying it will definitely work on yours but its worth a try.

[Amopower]

I have this problem on my 93 Lesabre too, but I dont know if we have the same problem. What I do to get mine to engage is turn the key just a little bit more and then try to shift (of course without turning too much and grinding the starter). I guess this is because the "on" position is getting a little slack in its old age, and so the car thinks the key is not On, and therefore it wont let you get out of park (like if you just went into your car without starting it and tried to shift, aint gonna happen). This only happens once in a rare while for me though, not all the time.