The shifter will not move from park into any of the other gears. The transmission is fine and is in great shape except for having really dirty fluid that is getting changed tomorrow.
If you take to center console partially apart until you can reach the gears for the shifter, you can use a screw driver to push down on the locking mechanism while holding the brake and pushing the button of the shifter in order to get the locking mechanism to release the shifter. However, once you do, it will be difficult to put into reverse, and you will be unable to put it into park or remove the keys with out performing the same maneuver.
This is a temporary fix until it can be looked at by a mechanic. I do not know the long term effects of this solution. This fix is similar to using an override button on the other cars, except that there is no override button on this vehicle. Also, though very annoying and especially difficult to do the first couple of times, it does get easier to perform this fix after awhile. It is still majorly annoying because you are unable to move the vehicle unless you are unable to get it out of park and once you have it out of park, you can't really leave the car without someone in it unless you can put it back in park due to the fact that the keys cannot be removed unless you are currently in park.
The car is going to the mechanic tomorrow and I will update this complaint once I find out more information and know how much it will cost to fix.
Update from Aug 23, 2011: The button on the shifter was worn out. The mechanic took it off for free. We're going to pick-a-part later this week in order to replace it.
The shifter will not move from park into any of the other gears. The transmission is fine and is in great shape except for having really dirty fluid that is getting changed tomorrow.
If you take to center console partially apart until you can reach the gears for the shifter, you can use a screw driver to push down on the locking mechanism while holding the brake and pushing the button of the shifter in order to get the locking mechanism to release the shifter. However, once you do, it will be difficult to put into reverse, and you will be unable to put it into park or remove the keys with out performing the same maneuver.
This is a temporary fix until it can be looked at by a mechanic. I do not know the long term effects of this solution. This fix is similar to using an override button on the other cars, except that there is no override button on this vehicle. Also, though very annoying and especially difficult to do the first couple of times, it does get easier to perform this fix after awhile. It is still majorly annoying because you are unable to move the vehicle unless you are unable to get it out of park and once you have it out of park, you can't really leave the car without someone in it unless you can put it back in park due to the fact that the keys cannot be removed unless you are currently in park.
The car is going to the mechanic tomorrow and I will update this complaint once I find out more information and know how much it will cost to fix.
Update from Aug 23, 2011: The button on the shifter was worn out. The mechanic took it off for free. We're going to pick-a-part later this week in order to replace it.
- siveheart, La Puente, CA, US