Help! Trouble shifting out of park.

[XFireXLR]

Today upon returning home from running a few errands I had trouble shifting out of park. The shift release button felt like it was stuck. After several attempts I finally got it to release. Got the car into the garage and put it into park, and again it would not shift out of park. Has anyone else ever experienced this issue, is it just an adjustment or will new parts be needed? Also is there a way to disengage the button manually to get it to the dealer if need be? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[ChicagoDave]

Today upon returning home from running a few errands I had trouble shifting out of park. The shift release button felt like it was stuck. After several attempts I finally got it to release. Got the car into the garage and put it into park, and again it would not shift out of park. Has anyone else ever experienced this issue, is it just an adjustment or will new parts be needed? Also is there a way to disengage the button manually to get it to the dealer if need be? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I had the same problem a year or so ago... it just got worse and worse. I ended up taking the center console apart and found the wire/switch that seemed to be hanging up a bit. I moved the wire around and tucked it more out of the way and have not had a problem since. Maybe give that a try before bringing it in to the dealer. Good luck.

 

[XFireXLR]

Thanks for tip, I will give it a try.

 

[HOMEGAMEROOM]

Most cars have some kind of emergency release button/knob/slot to release the safety on the transmission if it won't shift out of park and/or you can't get the knob to push in. Alas, the XLR is not one of them. If you have to shift "manually", you may have to pull the cable from the shift selector or go under the car and try to get at it at the transmission.

My car was totally dead once and I needed to remove the console to get it in neutral to get it on the flatbed. I keep a small Torx driver (for removing the gearshift knob) in the glovebox for those little emergencies!

 

[ccclarke]

Once you have the console cover off, look for the solenoid just to the right of the shift stalk. Pull up on the solenoid lever mechanism and the gear shift will easily move back. If the solenoid continus to hang up, it's time for a replacement (about $185 for the entire subassembly.)

In an emergency, you can lift the cover in the dark and move the solenoid actuator by hand (as long as you carry a T-15 Torx screwdriver in the car) to get the knob release screw under the trim ring loosened. Just remember to lift the console plate from the rear first.

CC

 

[XFireXLR]

HOMEGAMEROOM & CCClarke thanks for your replies. Is this considered a "warranty" item or a normal "wear & tear" item? Reason being is I am not the best "DIY" type of guy, I usually compound the problem by breaking something else.....so I will be taking it to the dealer.

 

[tonypro99]

I just removed my solenoid since it was giving me the same problem and I hardwired the wires together. I wasn't going to pay $200 for a part like that. I just gotta remember that I can start the car in drive now but lets face it I'm not that dumb lol

 

[HOMEGAMEROOM]

This would certainly be considered a warranty item (as long as you're still under warranty, of course).

 

[XFireXLR]

This would certainly be considered a warranty item (as long as you're still under warranty, of course).

Fortunately I still have about 8 months left on my GMPP Major Guard extended warranty.

 

[XFireXLR]

I am at the dealer at this moment taking advantage of thier bandwidth and trying to get my 'shifting out of park" issue sorted. Will post any information that I may find out and if this is a common problem.

 

[XFireXLR]

Part has been ordered $280.00 for entire shift unit, covered under warranty and my car should be ready tomorrow. Unfortunately they gave me a GM HHR as a loaner.

 

[ChicagoDave]

Unfortunately they gave me a GM HHR as a loaner.

Sorry to hear that ...

 

[XFireXLR]

Well got a call from the Service Manager today it seems that while trying to install the new shift unit they snapped the shift cable, which has to be ordered. So my car will be in the shop for another day and I am also stuck with an HHR for another day.

 

[XLRATING]

Double sorry to hear - hate it when "repairs" equal "break more stuff," AND leave you stranded in an unfun loaner.

At least you aren't missing out on good top down weather.

 

[ccclarke]

This seems to be an issue that's starting to pop up on older XLRs. Just had it on mine as well. Here are two ways to tell if the shift lock solenoid is working:

Without a Tech 2:
1) Start the vehicle.
2) With your hand on the shift lever, press the brake pedal.
3) Listen for an audible click coming from the base of the shift lever each time you depress the brake pedal.
4) You should also be able to feel the solenoid lever throw through the shift lever.

Don't get crazy with pulling back hard on the shift lever, you'll only raise your blood pressure and possibly break something more expensive. Keep pumping the brake pedal to signal the solenoid to move.

With a Tech 2:

1) Connect the Tech 2 and start the vehicle.
2) Navigate to the Y Body menus.
3) Select F6: Transmission/Transaxel; select Shift Lock Control<rcdlr<f1 p="" data.<="" data="" display<f0="" rcdlr<f0="">
4) There are two status readings on the bottom of the display: Data: Shift Lock Solenoid Comm and Data:Shift Lock Solenoid Status. Both should indicate "Locked" without the brake pedal depressed and "Unlocked" when the brake pedal is depressed.

If you don't feel (or hear) the solenoid actuate, or the status doesn't change on the Tech 2, remove the center console cover plate by slipping the shift lever trim ring down and loosening the T-15 Torx screw securing the shift knob to the shift lever.

Remove the shift knob and pry the console cover off by pulling up on the back and then the front to disengage all four clips. Lift the cover up and slide it over to the left side of the centerline "hump."

The Shift Lock Solenoid is the square component with a rear-facing shaft, sitting to the right of the base of the shift lever. Depress the brake pedal a couple of times to visually verify the solenoid isn't operating. If it isn't, jiggle the wires that come out of and run adjacent to the solenoid, while holding the brake pedal down. The harness in my car had a splice in it that when jiggled, allowed the solenoid to engage, so it was easy to fix. Maybe the guy missed school on the day when splices were taught.

You can manually move the solenoid lever to see how it allows the shift lever to slide back by moving a little white plastic lock out of the way. In a pinch, you can hold this in place to get the car out of Park, then drive it in for repairs.

I'm surprised that there have been so many reports of this problem lately. Solenoids are pretty bullet-proof. They're just electromagnets and need power and a ground path to complete the circuit throwing the lever. In the XLR, the brake pedal switch completes the ground path by signaling the RCDLR. (The reason for the "Comm status" on the Tech 2.)

In a nutshell, there are four main failure areas for this problem: The brake pedal activated switch, the RCDLR which applies the ground to the shift lock solenoid when the brake switch is depressed, the shift lock solenoid, and the associated wiring. There's a mechanical linkage cable from the shift lock solenoid assembly to the tranny that engages the transmission too.

Hopefully this might help someone else with a similar problem.

CC </rcdlr<f1>

 

[XFireXLR]

Double sorry to hear - hate it when "repairs" equal "break more stuff," AND leave you stranded in an unfun loaner.

At least you aren't missing out on good top down weather.

Well she is back home in the stable, and all is right with the world (at least my corner of it).

 

[XFireXLR]

CCClarke thanks for the info and write up. The tech and I found that 14 out of 30 attempts the shift lever would lock up and not move. Fortunately the problem is fixed and I got a new shift cable (snapped during repair) in the process, total bill to GM was $756.00 not including a 2 day rental.

 

[BusaMan]

What a great explanation! When my DSC didn't work, the dealer replaced the entire shift component, surrounding the shift lever. The problem was a broken switch. I kept the replaced part, just to understand how it all worked and what was going on "under the covers". This writeup exactly describes how this all works. Are you a tech writer, perchance? Excellent job.

 

[BoughtTheXLR]

Yesterday, my 2008 (17 days out of warranty) experienced the shifter lockup in park. Fortunately, on the bazzionth try it worked so I was able to get home. Incidentally, I wanted to shut the car off in neutral, but while it would shut off the engine, the DIC kept insisting that the shifter be moved to park. And, I found out, not just moved to park, but moved to park AND the shifter button released. (I'd wanted to leave it held in with a small strap.)

This morning I played with it a bit and found the solenoid was pulling, but unevenly. Rather than invest in a new assembly, I pried the solenoid itself partway out of the assembly (there are just a couple of plastic tab latches holding it in place), and removed the cam assembly that the solenoid turns. Popped the solenoid back into place and it's all good to go. Of course, now the car will start when it isn't in park. I don't regard that as much of a problem since it's so damn insistent about being left in park when shut off.

With perfect hindsight, I now recall that during the past week or two there were 3-4 times when the shifter button didn't move the first time I tried to shift out of park, but I (unfortunately) dismissed this as simply being a case of my having tried to get going before the car was quite finished with whatever initializations are needed at startup.

Moral of the story: the very first time your XLR balks at shifting out of park, make plans to do something about it. At the very least, start carrying a t-15 screwdriver.

 

[hawkeye372]

Well got a call from the Service Manager today it seems that while trying to install the new shift unit they snapped the shift cable, which has to be ordered. So my car will be in the shop for another day and I am also stuck with an HHR for another day.

Well atleast it was at the dealership. So they should be responsible for that price right. My brother law has a hhr and has a dead battery. So he's been sharing my sisters equinox. Luckily they now work at the some business