Accord - Can't shift out of park

All of a sudden I can't shift out of park after starting my 1990 Honda
Accord LX (Automatic Transmission). I end up having to shut off the
engine and then using the Shift Lock Release to manually shift to
neutral. Then I can start my car and drive and shift gears without
problem. But once I shift back to park the gear locks up again. Any
idea what the problem is and what approximate repair cost is??? Thanks
a bunch.
Qgoogle

 

Well there's a sensor that unlocks the shifter when you press the brake
pedal. Maybe that sensor is malfunctioning. Either that, or your
shift-lock solenoid might need to be replaced.

Sean

 

Or more specifically, there is a switch at the brake pedal and a
solenoid next to the shift lever. If you remove the trim around the
shift lever you'll probably see the solenoid.

On many cars there is also a connection to the ECU that indicates the
position of the gas pedal (if you are stepping on the gas, you can not
shift out of park on some cars), so the throttle position sensor can be
a problem as well.

Start by checking if your brake lights work. If they don't, you can be
quite certain that the brake pedal switch is the problem. However, if
the brake lights do work, it does not necessarily mean that the brake
pedal switch is OK, often separate sets of contacts are used for
different functions.

 

Thankyou for all the replies!
I checked the Brake Lights, and they dont work!!
(1) So can i conclude for sure that the brake pedal switch
is the problem ? Or is there a possibility that something
else might be wrong too! Like some fuse etc ?
(2) How much do you think would be the cost to get the brake
pedal switch replaced/fixed?
Thanks!
QGoogle

 

It certainly could be the fuse. There is usually a diagram on the fuse
box lid indicating which fuse is for what. If the brake light fuse is
blown, and the replacement fuse blows as soon as you step on the brakes,
there is a short in the system, typically a burned out bulb (they
sometimes become dead shorts when they burn out).

List price for the switch is around $50 from the dealer. Dealers here in
Northern California usually charge 20% above list. Bastards. Labor
should be less than half an hour.

 

for some time now i have been having difficulty ( a very stiff action, which
seems as i could do damage ) moving my 92 accord coupe auto (101km) gear
shift into and out of the park position. I read recently in a news Q/A
article about the same thing , but on a CITROEN.
the advice was that the gearbox clutches were worn and that to persist in
forcing the lever in/ out of park could lead to serious damage to the
gearbox and to just drive as normal, but do not put the stick in park
has anyone come across this before ?

 

In most automatic transmissions, there is a 'Parking Pawl' that engages
the driveshaft inside the transmission to keep the vehicle from rolling
when parked. This condition usually happens when you stop on a slope and
place the gear into park. The vehicle rolls a little causing this to
bind making it very difficult to get out of park. When stopping and
placing the transmission into park, set the parking brake and see if this
helps. I kind of remember seeing something to this effect in the owners
manual. You might have someone rock the vehicle the next time this
happens and see if that helps.

Randy

 

Hello! I had this same problem in my former car, a 1992 Mercury Topaz. I
could not shift out of park, and all the brake lights were out.

Note that it might not only be a fuse. In my case, it was a broken and
disconnected switch "box" that is underneath the brake pedal. The box
is connected to a cable that goes to the brake pedal. The tabs holding
this box in place broke, and my foot occasionally dislodged the brake
wire, causing the brake lights to malfunction and the shifter to lock up.

I recommend that, until you can get this properly repaired, activate your
hazard lights when slowing down for traffic lights and stop signs, to
alert drivers behind you. You can turn off your flashers when accelerating.

Paul

 

+++++++++++++++

Replace three (or more - read your manual) brake light bulbs after you
determine that they are burnt out. Listen for the tiny 'click' when you
step on the brake pedal and verify that brake lights now work. You
probably need the effective LENGTH of the shift linkage adjusted, to
allow shift lever to go in and out of PARK. I don't know if this is done
from below, but it's not going to be more than a half hour labor.

The Citroen problem mentioned is on a different (manual w/synchromesh)
tranny, built in a different country. Don't get sidetracked.

'Curly'

 

You're very right. I was tought by driver training that when parking, to
put the car in neutral, pull the parking brake and then release the brake.
Let the car come to rest on the parking brake, then put the car in park.
This prevent the strain the on tranny that you mentioned.

 

Hey All,
Finally i got my problem fixed! It was indeed the brake pedal switch,
as most of you had guessed! I got it fixed from "Express Oil Change"
and they charged me $100 for it. [$60 for the switch & $40 for labor]
I would also like to thank you, especially since it helped me from not
getting fooled by FireStone! I had taken the car to FireStone
yesterday, and they said that it is some serious problem and that it
would need replacement of the whole gear assembly and that it would be
an expensive affair. When i told him that the brake lights dont work,
he said that the lights might be broken and that they would replace
them as well! So then I also asked him if it could be the switch or
the fuse.. that is when he got baffled (on realising that the customer
is not as naive and stupid) and he said that it could be a possibility
.... In short, dont trust FireStone! This is the second time i have had
a bad experience with FireStone.
- QGoogle

 

its a given not to trust *any* franchise. they arent mechanics- just
tire monkeys.

 

Btw, how much do you think it would cost for getting my periodic brake
service. Precisely:
- brake pads and
- rollers
Is $250 a good figure for that ?
Tx.,
QGoogle

 

unless theyre deeply grooved or warped, you dont need new rotors. $250
isnt a TOTAL ripoff for something like that, although pads are usually
under $30, and the unneeded rotors are probably another $60.