Thread: Shifter not coming out of Neutral

Part # 34908

Ok here is a picture of the area, you can see how it tilts a little bit....some updates...I was able to click that lockout button and get the key out, however (since it was night time when i did this) i noticed when I turned the car in accessory (i hear all the pumps turn on as they should even like one click when trying to start but nothing happens) looked to the rear of the car and noticed the one reverse light (not damaged in the accident) was on so my car might actually be stuck in Reserve, not Neutral. Still unable to push down the damn button to shift it into any other gear but I did noticed I hear some nosies from under the car up by the transmission when I wiggle the hell out of the shifter (which is obviously normal being that its prob the cable making the noise) it just beats the hell out of me why the damn button wont depress so I can put it in park. Or even why the shifter is slightly bent like it is...any other ideas?

I'm still a little confused on the whole "cable from key switch to shifter" is that the one with the lock on it I push on to get the key to come out? Also where underneath the car is the cable going to the trans, i assume it is the one in the middle going straight out under the carpeting to the firewall?

Im my frustration I actually tried kicking the shifter to go back straight but that thing is solid as a rock and just will not budge

So i jacked up the car nothing seems to look wrong underneath it, i was curious about one thing though...I can freely rotate the front wheels in either direction even though when I turn the key to accessory the reverse lights are on (what made me assume its stuck in reverse). Given that it is stuck in reserve, should I be able to turn the wheels both ways freely like that(as if it where in Neutral)?

...man im going insane, why wont it let me push down the button!! I what would even be stopping the button, its not like it wont move, cause I can wiggle it and i could prob even shift the gears if I could just get that damn button to push down.....do you think it has something to do with the brakes or something? Its almost like I dont have my foot on the brake (so it wont let me press the button down) but Im push down on the brake as hard as I can (give the fact the brakes are really hard to push down like they were just changed or something).....is there any way to by pass whatever tells the shifter my brake is pressed so I can test to see if maybe thats the issue?

the ign lock cyl cable could stop the button from depressing look at the schematic that was linked thats the one its on the left side

The drivers side? I only see those 2 cables? The thicker one going straight under the carpet to the firewall (i assume to the transmission) and the smaller one closer to the passenger side which had the lock on it i pressed to get my key out of the ignition, is that the one you're talking about? The schematic only has numbers, not names (im new to this)...but what do I do in order to get it to let me press it down?

the problem is the brake/button interlock system.

same thing happeneds to me when i wrecked my car. if the shifter is moving but you cant get the keys out thats 99% the time is the problem.

grab the line on the right, the one that goes through that white ring. & move it all the way up & try to take the key out. if that dont work, try to move it all the way down. & remove the key

The shifter wiggles, but I can't move it more than just wiggling it cause I can't push the button down that I would push in order to shift it out of reverse into another gear. I see that little switch you click in order to get the key out and yes I push that and the key will come out, but that still doesn't sold the problem i'm having. The problem is that I can't get the shifter button to push so I can put it into park in order to fire up the engine. So i've gotten the key out, but i still can't depress the shifter button to put it in park....

i'll shoot a video of what im talking about, maybe that will clear up and help me figure this crazy problem out

next to the shifter against the tunnel there is a line going through a white sleeve. Try ppushing that up or down & then move the shiffter all the way forward. putting your car in park,

im not talking about the button next to the key..

My 98 didn't have that button next to the key. But I see what your saying, I push the white sleeve all the way down, it helps release my key, but the shifter button still doesn't depress or like me change the gears no matter how hard I push both in, gonna take a quick video

Here is the video I promised lol, the host kinda scratched it out oddly and made it look weird but its not blurry or anything. The angle i have the camera sitting where the HVAC if you were confused at first....

The Video I Promised



Any ideas?