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Shift Lock System problem


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My FWD '92 Legacy (auto trans.) recently developed a problem where you can't move the selector lever from "P" to any other position unless you press the shift-lock release button. From what I read it's a problem with the "Shift Lock System", but I can't find anything to do about it. It's doing it pretty much every time now. Until I can figure it out/get help/take it somewhere, can I continue to drive it using the release button, or am I destine to get stranded at the worst possible time? Any ideas how I can fix this?

Thanks

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My FWD '92 Legacy (auto trans.) recently developed a problem where you can't move the selector lever from "P" to any other position unless you press the shift-lock release button. From what I read it's a problem with the "Shift Lock System", but I can't find anything to do about it. It's doing it pretty much every time now. Until I can figure it out/get help/take it somewhere, can I continue to drive it using the release button, or am I destine to get stranded at the worst possible time? Any ideas how I can fix this?

Thanks

 

there is a solenoid that activate when you step on the brake when the car is in park. it withdraws a pin which un-locks the shifter. mine is intermittent. i had it tied down with a rubber band for a while. but i am still a little scared of it.

 

if you remove the console around the shifter you will see the mechanism. my guess is that a used one would be a good bet, but i don't really know.

 

i also don't know what the cost new.

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When you press the brake pedal and the gear selecter buttom you should hear a relay under the dash click, do you?

 

The solenoids sometimes get gummed up over the years from that coke that got spilled in there and no one owned up to :)

 

Yes, I hear a click under the dash. I'll pull the trim around the selector this weekend and check it out.

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Today I pulled the console covers to see if the solenoid was gummed up (it seemed fine- not dirty at all).

Now when the selector is out of P, I can move it to the other positions without pressing the grip button. The only exception is that the button has to be pressed to go from N to R.

I did loosen the selector lever (two screws on side) so I could lift the indicator cover up a bit to see the solenoid better. When I did this the grip button came out. But I thought I got it back together correctly.

I know this is a stupid question, but the grip button needs to be pressed in order to be able to move the selector from say, D to N or 3,2,1 doesn't it? I never really tried to do so without pressing it, so I don't know if I screwed it up!

If I did, any suggestions about what to do? I REALLY need to get it back together today!

Thanks

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