Don't make my mistake either!

SkunkBoat

SkunkBoat

God
I was at the ramp pulling the boat for some summertime projects. Backed down the Explorer and put it in Park before setting the brake. I NEVER do that! Went to pull out and discovered why I was told to always set the brake. Shift lever stuck solid! Can't get out of PARK. Tried jumping up and down and pushing the truck but no luck. People waiting for the ramp so I just grabbed with 2 hands and yanked. Now R is Park, N is R, D is N, and 3 is D....can't get to 1....

Hope its a set screw slipped or something easy and not bent....
New #1 on the summertime project list.
 
Not sure on the newer cars, but it used to be that when you shifted into park a pawl engaged in the trans that kept the driveshaft from turning, thereby keeping the car from rolling. The problem is that under a really heavy load (like parking on a steep incline without putting the brake on first) the pawl becomes pinched between the two parts that it's intended to keep from moving. So much so that you cannot move the shift lever to get it out. The easiest fix for it is to get someone to give you a slight tow up the ramp while you are pulling on the shift lever.. and by slight, I mean about 1 inch.... just enough to take the pressure off the shift pawl so it can disengage.
Since it's working now, I don't think you damaged the tranny.. but I'll bet dollars to donuts that you've bent the shift mechanism somewhere. :head:
 
Who needs first gear anyway....

Sounds like my weekend. Backed the trailer down and heard a pop, thought it was just the boat taking slack out of the strap, nope, snapped a leaf spring. Awesome, well I go park, totally not paying attention as I am thinking about how I'm going to get home....clock a pole with the trailer fender, GREAT! Anyway hit the water, great day things are looking up (minus the predicted crawl home) retrieve the boat, focused on the spring, forget to trim up the motor....sccccrrrraaaaaappppeeee the skeg up the ramp a bit. Damage was minor, just a scratch nothing missing. Limped home (thank god for a double axle trailer) parked it and cracked a beer...all before noon, what a great day!

-Svence
 
SkunkBoat said:
I was at the ramp pulling the boat for some summertime projects. Backed down the Explorer and put it in Park before setting the brake. I NEVER do that! Went to pull out and discovered why I was told to always set the brake. Shift lever stuck solid! Can't get out of PARK. Tried jumping up and down and pushing the truck but no luck. People waiting for the ramp so I just grabbed with 2 hands and yanked. Now R is Park, N is R, D is N, and 3 is D....can't get to 1....

Hope its a set screw slipped or something easy and not bent....
New #1 on the summertime project list.
Click to expand...

hmmm, I probably put it park and then set the brake all the time...

time to change that!!!!

thanks

rkc
 
just an update.
Took the console apart. I like puzzles....
Found nothing I could fix.

As I suspected, it was the shift linkage slipped on the top of the tranny.
Got it fixed for $50. Still got money for beer:beer:

Did clean 5 years of coffee spills from around the console...while drinkin a beer.

Lesson learned--- pull forward an inch and set the brake before putting it in Park
 
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