Stuck in reverse???

Jughead · Sep 21, 2005

I have a '91 GT with Auto tranny. I backed down my driveway, then when I went to shift out of reverse, I got nothing. The shifter handle moves back & forth easily but won't shift out of reverse.

Now that I shut her off, I can't get it restarted because I can't shift the tranny into PARK.

Now what? What did I break? Is it serious?

thanks
Len

stroked8e5 · Sep 21, 2005

When you say it moves now, can you feel each range or is it smooth (no detent)? I'd check the linkage on the side of the trans. Unhook the cable and make sure it moves normally then move the shift lever w/out cable hooked up on the trans and see if you get all ranges. That should at least determine whether its inside or out of the trans. Could just be somthing to do with cable or shifter.

Jughead · Sep 21, 2005

stroked8e5 said:
When you say it moves now, can you feel each range or is it smooth (no detent)? I'd check the linkage on the side of the trans. Unhook the cable and make sure it moves normally then move the shift lever w/out cable hooked up on the trans and see if you get all ranges. That should at least determine whether its inside or out of the trans. Could just be somthing to do with cable or shifter.

Well now the shifter is stuck in PARK but the tranny I'm guessing is still stuck in reverse. The shifter won't move out of park. It's stuck.

Iceman8984 · Sep 21, 2005

Ignition on? Foot on brake? Will it start in park positon? Will it roll?

Jughead · Sep 21, 2005

Iceman8984 said:
Ignition on? Foot on brake? Will it start in park positon? Will it roll?

The shifter indicates that it's in PARK but the tranny is actually in reverse.

Therefore you cannot start the engine with the tranny in reverse.

Killer50stang · Sep 21, 2005

check your connections that run from the shifter to the tranny. I've seen them pop off before. They are easy to pop back on. I'd say something between the shifter and tranny need adjusted. If the shifter moves freely or really loose, that's probably the problem.

-Poth

Jughead · Sep 22, 2005

Killer50stang said:
check your connections that run from the shifter to the tranny. I've seen them pop off before. They are easy to pop back on. I'd say something between the shifter and tranny need adjusted. If the shifter moves freely or really loose, that's probably the problem.

-Poth

That was initially the problem but after a few hours I went back out to take a look, It's almost impossible to press the shifter button "in" to unlock it from gear.

I removed the face plate and PRND21 cover and can only "free" the button by pressing down on the "catch".

Even when I got the shifter button to disengage the PARK setting, I was able to move it with the button pushed in to the other gear settings. However, the tranny is still in reverse and I cannot start the car.

I don't think I'm going to have time to fix this one myself.

How can I get a tow when it's stuck in reverse??? It's "backed down" and at the end of my single car driveway?

If they pull it out won't that screw up the tranny?

wht93gtEd · Sep 22, 2005

go crawl under your car and look at the shifter lever on the tranny. My guess is that the cable broke or came unhooked. Have someone move the shifter, if you still can, and see if the cable is moving.

If it broke, I have one from when I swapped mine to a 5-spd.

Also look over the tranny, where the cable connects to the shifter, and see if it's still connected there.

p.s. you may have to put your car on ramps, or jack it up.
p.s.s. make sure your brake lights are working; cause that prevents the shifter from moving too.

srothfuss · Sep 22, 2005

wht93gtEd said:
go crawl under your car and look at the shifter lever on the tranny. My guess is that the cable broke or came unhooked. Have someone move the shifter, if you still can, and see if the cable is moving.

If it broke, I have one from when I swapped mine to a 5-spd.

Also look over the tranny, where the cable connects to the shifter, and see if it's still connected there.

p.s. you may have to put your car on ramps, or jack it up.
p.s.s. make sure your brake lights are working; cause that prevents the shifter from moving too.

Also... since the shifter / tranny is mechanically connected. You can put the car up on stands and move the gear selector on your own. That will put it back in Park or Netural and allow you to:

A) Start the car and leave it at the end of your drive way (park)
B) Start the car and roll it back to the garage so you can assess the failure better (netural)

wht93gtEd · Sep 22, 2005

srothfuss said:
Also... since the shifter / tranny is mechanically connected. You can put the car up on stands and move the gear selector on your own. That will put it back in Park or Netural and allow you to:

A) Start the car and leave it at the end of your drive way (park)
B) Start the car and roll it back to the garage so you can assess the failure better (netural)

yeah...i forgot to point that out. But I don't remember which way to push the lever to be in park is it forward or back?

srothfuss · Sep 22, 2005

I am pretty sure that moving the selector forward will put it in Netural. But it's been a long time since I have seen an AOD

RsStanG1987 · Sep 22, 2005

Wouldnt one click back be neutral?

srothfuss · Sep 22, 2005

RsStanG1987 said:
Wouldnt one click back be neutral?

I am not sure... It all depends on how the cable is connected to the shifter rod. But one click in either direction is going to allow him to start his car...

wht93gtEd · Sep 22, 2005

yeah..i didn't know.

I have an AOD in my shed out back; but it didn't help me to figure out which way was park

ninety1gt · Sep 22, 2005

pop off the t handle on the top, and push down on the shifter button, last time my handle just came up a little and didnt work

Killer50stang · Sep 22, 2005

wht93gtEd said:
go crawl under your car and look at the shifter lever on the tranny. My guess is that the cable broke or came unhooked. Have someone move the shifter, if you still can, and see if the cable is moving.

If it broke, I have one from when I swapped mine to a 5-spd.

Also look over the tranny, where the cable connects to the shifter, and see if it's still connected there.

p.s. you may have to put your car on ramps, or jack it up.
p.s.s. make sure your brake lights are working; cause that prevents the shifter from moving too.

Look up, I've already said this...

wht93gtEd · Sep 24, 2005

Killer50stang said:
Look up, I've already said this...

i was merely re-iterating your point

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