Hard to get shifting leaver in the park position?

Question

1998 Lumna chevorlet with 3100 engine
tranmission hard to get into the park position
checked the shifting cable not the cause
what else should I check .' Thanks'

Answer 1

There could be something binding in the column, or the lever may be out of adjustment. Does the shifter go in the neutral or drive position in the wrong location? In other words does it go into drive when the indicator says neutral? If so, I would suspect it is out of adjustment. You may also want to take the cable off of the transaxle and see if the transmission gear selector lever on the side of the transaxle will engage park. If it does not go in park even with the cable disconnected from the trans gear selector lever, than the problem is in the trans, and it will need work. If the trans goes into park with the cable disconnected, then the problem is in the column shifter.

Now if the symptoms are that the car goes into park, but acts like it is in neutral, i.e. the engine speed changes, and it is no longer in reverse, then I would suspect the parking pawl is broken. The parking pawl is the piece that holds the car in position when you put a car in "park". Unfortunately, most people do not use the parking brake when stopped on a hill and expect the transmission to hold them in place. What these people do not know is that the transmission is using a small piece of metal to hold the entire 3000 pound car in place. If this is the case, then the transmission will need work. I recommend to anyone that when they are parking their car on any hill or grade to use the parking brake before they take their car out of gear, shift to neutral to put the weight of the car on the brakes, then put the car in park. Following this guideline will keep anyone from breaking the parking pawl on their transmission.

Answer 2

When you said you checked the shifting cable I am wondering how you checked it. I doubt it is in the valve body because all the park position does is release hydraulic flow through the tranny and apply the parking paw.

Every instance I have dealt with has been either a mis-adjusted or a stretched cable.

Answer 3

i own a repair shop,and it could be the cable has stretched out some this will cause that to happen,other wise the problem would be in the valve body in the transmission causing it to do this,you might want to have it checked ,i usually find that the cable has gotten stretched out a little ,and it causes this to happen,good luck,i hope this help,s.,,PS it can be re-adjusted to make it work better without having to buy one for it.

Answer 4

I am having trouble with my 2015 Elantra. It has 7900 miles on it. After cutting the car off, the gear shift, the steering wheel and the key will not turn in the ignition switch. It is in the shop as I speak and they can not find the problem. If you jerk the steering wheel real hard "sometimes" it will "break" loose I don t think I need to "jerk" the wheel. Anyone with suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! (This is when it s on level ground.)

Answer 5

It's probably inside the valve body of the transmission.