My gf's 1990 camaro with automatic tranny is stuck in drive. The shifter can move around and it seems like it should work, but it doesn't seem like the transmission is getting out of the drive gear. The symptoms are:

1. when in park, it still moves forward on flat surface
2. won't go reverse
3. only goes forward

Any ideas?

Thanks, Glen

 

Have you checked the linkage where it bolts up to the transmission? I had an 86 T/A do the same thing and all that happened was the two bols on the tranny linkage mount had backed out and fallen out making the shifter move without moving the linkage. Just a thought if you haven't already checked it.

 

i agree with what was said . also check the plastic snap in clips the hold the shifter cable in place if forced they somtime pop out.have someone shift it while you look under at the driver side of the car at the tranny. make sure it is moving the shift linkage.make sure the car wont roll either.

 

The shifter is really loose, kinda like it's not attached at the other end. If I look at the transmission while the shifter is being moved, will I be able to see anything without having to remove something first? Thanks.

 

you should be able to see the arm on the trans moving when the shifter is moved, also check the shift cable as well. a friends firebird has broken two shift cables, and it had the same problem

 

Extremely loose or broken cables?

 

I've experienced the braken cable incident before! Mine was the outer sheath portion of it that broke. The main issue I has was it wouldn't go in to park unless I "slammed" it into park.

All the ideas I've seen sound logical, and you should thoroughly chech them out!