Car has been sitting a bit, and initially it started w/o issue. When I pulled it out of Park though, the shifter was extremely tight, so I immediately put it back into park, and there it stayed. I can hear the solenoid clicking when I press the brake pedal and press the shifter button, but it won't leave park and won't start in park. Only way it'll start atm is if I insert something into the upper left hole on the floor shifter cover and put shifter into Neutral. 

 

I did try and run the shifter back and forth a bunch of times and it feels a bit looser, but still won't exit park or start in park. All the gears are matching with indents on the selector, so dunno where to look next?

My 99 forester does this every couple of months ,l go under the car with wd40 and spray linkage real good.

You think it's not going fully into park then?

 

By linkage, you mean the cable? Or a physical arm that the linkage moves? 

I sprayed everything,even took shifter cover off between seats and spray there.

Cool. I'll have at it and see if that helps. Thanks!

Happened with my 95 and my dad's 98 legacy. You have to pull the trim around the shifter and there is a switch that gets sticky on the driver side under the trim you have to clean and manually press it. If you clean it shouldn't be an issue anymore

Happened with my 95 and my dad's 98 legacy. You have to pull the trim around the shifter and there is a switch that gets sticky on the driver side under the trim you have to clean and manually press it. If you clean it shouldn't be an issue anymore

 

You mean under the actual P-R-N-D-2-1 cover, right? I'll check that too then. 

Yes it gets sticky from drinks being spilled it with the cup holders being where they are

Coins. There could be a coin down there. Check along the bottom of the shifter with the cover off.

Well, pulled cover and the solenoid for the lock-out seems to have failed (plunger is loose and doesn't respond). Shifter is moving smoothly now, but still can't get it to start in Park?

 

The actual shifter appears to be fully seated in the Park gate. The tiny switch on the right-side of the shifter at the base (looks like it has 2 tiny copper arms on it) appears to be working.

 

Does the failed solenoid double as a start/no start switch?

One other physical item would be to check the linkage underside. There’s a turnbuckle that can be adjusted for throw. But of course it was working fine up to now. Outside chance something jammed in there. Not much effort to take a peek. Have the wheels chocked.

Sorry , you said it appears to be seated. I read around that. Lol

Haven't been under the car. Got a heavy enough snow that I was forced to swap out cars, and the couple times I've had to drive it, I've been putting it neutral to start. Shifter freed back up once it got warm.

 

 

Was referring to the gate the roll pin on the shifter stem resides on to lock-out reverse. Whereabouts is the turnbuckle you mentioned? Is it solely linkage (meaning probably rusted up) or is it an arm lever that resides through the trans case? 

On the early Legacys is underside on the passenger side.