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1996 Acura TL

Question: Gear shift locked in park

Question

kcjd, 3.2L V6, Columbus, GA, April 19, 2009, 18:55
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 Rookie

The gear shift in my car is getting locekd in park. I can insert the key in the
hole on the console by the Gear Shift
and step on the brakes and then shift
the car into drive, other than that I can't
move the gear shift when it is in park.
The problem has just started ocurring.
Any ideas on what could be wrong?

10 Answers
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  • Medium-star Best Answer
    patrick mannion from Greg Solow's Engine Room, April 19, 2009, 21:22
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     Master

    There is a shift lock solenoid that receives a signal when the key is on and the brake pedal is depressed that allows you to move the shift lever to be taken out of park.Two fuses that need to be OK for that circuit to work are fuse 1 and 39. See if the horn works and brake lights work if they both work the fuses are OK and the problem will be in the center console area.

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    patrick mannion, July 28, 2009, 18:57
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     Master

    Sorry Brian's dad you are right I meant check that the brake lights are working not reverse lights. You should with the ignition key to the "run position" hear a slight click inside the center console beneath the radio if the brake lights work and the shift lock inhibitor is sending a signal to the shift lock solenoid. I have seen the brake light switch fail intermittently causing difficulty getting out of Park. The brake light switch is the most common failure that causes this problem ,but if coffee or soda gets spilled in the center console I have seen the shift lock solenoid fail.

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    patrick mannion, July 28, 2009, 19:55
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     Master

    Do you mean the instruments are not illuminating or the instrument cluster warning lights don't come on when the ignition key is turned to the on or run position. I have a 96 5 cylinder TL love the car. The ignition switch electrical portion fail on a lot of Hondas and Acuras of this era.

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    Visitor, July 08, 2010, 07:43

    Is it possible to have the same problem if one of your break lights is out? A couple of weeks ago one of my brake lights burnt out of my 2002 Honda Accord SE and twice yesterday my car remained stuck in park for a bit.

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    Visitor, December 05, 2010, 03:43

    Help! i have the same problem on my 2003 Honda Accord ..but my brake lights come on and i have changed the brake switch and its still the same problem :( my horn also works so i dont know if its a fuse problem. been puzzled for about a week now.. im only able to use the car with the override.

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    Ruud, December 05, 2010, 03:44
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     Rookie

    Help! i have the same problem on my 2003 Honda Accord ..but my brake lights come on and i have changed the brake switch and its still the same problem :( my horn also works so i dont know if its a fuse problem. been puzzled for about a week now.. im only able to use the car with the override.

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  • Answer #2

    brianasdad2000 July 28, 2009, 12:10
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     Rookie

    @autotechpat

    I'm having the same problem. How can you tell if the reverse lights work when you cannot move the gear shift? Is there any other troubleshooting method. I have a feeling my problem has to do with that brake sensor. Any help would be appreciated.
    Thanks in advance.

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    brianasdad2000, July 28, 2009, 19:46
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    None of my instruments/needles illuminate. It used to happen when it was cold, then they would eventually warm up, but now they just don't come on at all. I have seen the brake light on once or twice when I DID get a glance at the dash. I believe that my problem with the gear shift is related to the braking system.

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  • Answer #3

    deebeast February 01, 2010, 14:26
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     Enthusiast

    i am currently having this same problem only i have a 98 aurora, and it gets stuck in park usually when its cold outside and i havent had time to start my car. like it does fine in the mornings because its had time to warm up and goes into drive fine, but after school is the problem. it gets stuck in park and i have to mess with it , and by messing with it i mean jiggling it around before the lever finally gives in and moves. im gonna get it looked at friday, but its been doing this for awhile. any suggestions on what i should do?

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  • Answer #4

    Visitor, March 16, 2010, 16:08

    I cannot put my ford taurus in drive it is stuck in park

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  • Answer #5

    Visitor, March 24, 2010, 10:56

    your brake switch needs to be replace

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  • Answer #6

    Visitor, April 19, 2010, 17:33

    I had the same problem. It is the brake switch. Get it replaced because your brake lights will not work either.

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  • Answer #7

    Visitor, June 03, 2010, 14:06

    This may not be your problem, I had the same problem with my 05 acura tl, it was actually a crack developing on the top cover of the gear shift console. Hard to explain, but it wasnt apparent until it got really bad and then I could bend the plastic cover back in to get it to go to another gear without catching. Taking the car in next week. I was originally told it was soda spilt in there. So take a very close look and see.

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    Visitor, July 16, 2010, 06:24

    What was your overcome? I know my son waste drink on console and now I can't get the gear to move. What did you have to do to fix it?

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  • Answer #8

    Visitor, July 06, 2010, 06:49

    all it is. is the brake sensor ....its a little sensor with the button on it to recongize that the brakes are applied...good way to check is to press brakes while in park to see if they come on or dont...if not thats the problem

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    Visitor, July 31, 2010, 10:02

    i had the same problem all i had to do was change the brake light switch the brake light wasn't working

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    Visitor, October 14, 2010, 11:49

    Where is the brake light switch located?

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  • Answer #9

    Visitor, November 01, 2010, 23:32

    I don't know what could be the problem It just started on 1029-2010

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  • Answer #10

    Visitor, May 03, 2011, 05:00

    should be a release hole near the shift concsole remove small cover insert screw driver,should work fine after this,had heard of this problem on jags. then it happened to my 96 camry and this is how I fixed it

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