Hey guys, I have this odd problem. My bird seems to stay in park, and the shifter (automatic) just doens't feel right. I was told to check the linkage on the tranny under the car, he told me on the passanger side, it can be found.

I can't seem to find it, and might there be any other problems that could occur that you guys know of and I could check.

Once again, in any gear, it seems like it's in park, and the shifter just doesn't feel right, like there is no friction in shifting.

thanks for anyone helps

 

Ok, I got back underneath, I see this, a cable that goes into the back of the tranny, which is what I believe is the speedo cable, another that goes in midway and is bolted on, I moved it, it slides a little, but it's still on, I followed the wire and it seems to go into the floor board just behind thecenter column, other then that, I don't see any otehr cables dangling.

Err... I'm stumped... and odn't have any guides and lost my bookmark for that detailed specs book to buy that used to be on 3rd gen a while ago... err help!

 

anyone?

 

the cable you found loose is the shift cable. it sounds like it has come loose from either the braket or the shifter arm on hte side of the tranny.

 

The shifter cables will also break inside the covering where you can't see it. They are about $30 or so to replace from the dealer. There is no adjustment in them, just replacements, as they are a standard fixed length. I'd just replace it.

 

So, I'd replace the whole cable, from the shifter right down to the arm that is connected to the tranny?

 

yes. it is easier to do that than to fix the other mentioned problems. this way, it takes care of all of them at once.

 

If/When you replace the cable -

make sure that if you need to twist the cable in any fashion to get it installed properly, that you twist in a clockwise direction, and NOT a counterclockwise direction. The cable inside the sheathing is twisted in a clockwise fashion, therefore twisting counterclockwise can loosen the bound wires of the cable, and mess up the new one as well. I did mine by installing through the floor from inside, connecting to the shifter, and then connecting to the tranny (really makes no difference I imagine, it's just the way it looked easiest to me). Really only takes about 5 minutes - it's the jacking the car and removing center console top plate that makes it a longer job.

Also, make sure you get it set so that PARK is set well - ie make sure that when you move the shifter into park the cable pushes the lever in the tranny all the way forward. There is a very slight bit of adjustment on the tranny end, and you want to ensure that when the car is supposed to be in park, that it actually is, and that it won't roll on you (wonder how I know about that one? lol).