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Wont shift outta park


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Guest jhoggy

96 outback bon't shift out of park without pushing release button, and then I Lose brake lights. Any advice would be appreciated as cant get it into shops for over a week..

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Guest Drquasievil

It sounds like the break switch by the pedal. That is responsible to release the shifter from park and brake lights.

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Guest jhoggy

Also clicks (audible and physical) in steering column near blinker lever when trying to get it outta park. Any test to see if brake switch is bad.. thanks..

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Guest rcoaster

Wait a minute.

 

"Won't shift out of park without pressing release button"?

 

Release button, as in that big button on the shifter, or that emergency release that requires you to remove the cover and use a screwdriver to release the shifter, like this:

 

<img src="http://home.rochester.rr.com/rcoaster/shifter2.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

 

If it's the emergency release button you're talking about, then it is controlled by the brake light switch. When it won't shift out of park, have someone stand behind your car and see if the brake lights work. If they don't, then it's definitely the brake switch. See if the switch is sticking and the plunger won't extend when the pedal is pressed.

 

If the brake lights do work, then it could be one of the following: shift lock control module behind the driver's dash, where the dimmer and seatbelt timer modules are, a faulty solenoid in the shifter, or a user error.

 

What I mean by a "user error" (yes, it has happened to me before) is that you might have grabbed the shifter lever before hitting the brakes. What happens is that the lock solenoid will jam, and won't unlock. You would have to reset it by letting go of the shifter lever and releasing the brake. THEN, press the brake first, then grab the shifter lever. :)

 

Also, that click you heard in the steering column is the ingition key lock that prevents you from moving the key into the "Lock" position when the shifter is not in Park or Neutral. You must have the key in the lock position in order to remove the key.

 

-RC!

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  • 1 year later...

in my 96, i put an aftermarket airhorn in. (we all know how weak subie horns are) evidently i hooked it up wrong and it was blowing fuses and the horn uses the same fuse as the brake lights. so, when the fuse blew, because of the horn, the brake lights didn't work, and, like you, i had to tear my console apart to take the car out of park.

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