Hi,

I have '91 Accord with 220K mi. Recently, when placed in Park, the car does not stay in place. I must use the parking brake or it rolls. Sometimes, the shift lever is nearly impossible to move. Anything easy i can chcek, or do i need to see a transmission shop? I'm hoping my baby isn't finally through. I've brought her back from the dead a few times, the engine is running great.....would hate to see this be the end.....

Thanks!
John

 

Sounds like the shift control cable has issues.

P

 

i agree with P- ..it is easy and cheap to chk adjustment,, i would do it first ...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jshep &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Sometimes, the shift lever is nearly impossible to move. </TD></TR></TABLE>
I vote bad cable.

 

Ok, thanks for the suggestions. If the cable just needs to be adjusted, that sounds like something I can handle. If it is a "bad" cable and needs to be replaced, is that something that would be recommended for a hack driveway mechanic to try? My skills and tools are limited, but here are some small jobs I have done successfully: replace brake pads, rotors and master cyclinder, replace interior blower motor, replace alternator, change drive belts, replace distributor, valve cover gasket.


Thanks!
John

 

The parts picture doesn't help a great deal... I think #4 is a protective cover over that end of the cable?

I bet you'll be underneath trying to wrestle around the exhaust & engine mounts. Heatshields will probably be in the way, rusty, they'll break when you try to remove them?


But if you can just get access to that forward end of the cable, disconnect it. Then you can check whether the difficulty is in the cable vs. inside the tranny.

 

Thanks for the responses!

Turns out it is indeed the cable.

A few days after I posted last, the car would not go into gear at all. the shift lever was very hard to move, but the indicator lights (PRND, etc) changed even though the car basically stayed in neutral.

Being a good number of miles from home, I had it towed to my neighborhood garage.

Got the call today that it is just the cable. BUT: $194.00 for the cable itself plus $125 or so labor.

Is it worth my while to look for a less expensive part and try installing it myself? Working with the console and underneath the car/tranny is new territory for me....

Thanks!
John


Modified by jshep at 1:34 AM 11/10/2005

 

I'm never one for starting fights, and I will never discourage anyone from using Independent Garages. I rely on one myself. (And Deserthonda would probably drive all the way from Yuma just to kick my *** if I ever did); But this guy's a "Little" high on the parts end. Refer link #10 (Wire Control). There are two listed; either for $181.69 Suggested Retail / $136.27 Street from Majestic Honda here in Rhode Island.

http://www.hondaautomotivepart...+WIRE

The first question is; how much would he pay for it, and is a 70% markup fair?
The second question is: Are you willing to wait for ordering the part for the discount and then deal with the hassle of trying to work on a 14 year old car?, or rather cut your losses, ask for a better part price and let him do it. I suspect the latter.

P

 

buy the part yourself and have them install it.......$ 125 for labor is not that far off

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jshep &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Is it worth my while to look for a less expensive part and try installing it myself? Working with the console and underneath the car/tranny is new territory for me....</TD></TR></TABLE>Get on Majestic Honda's website & look at the pictures of the console & shift lever. Better yet, find a repair manual (public library?). That'll give you some idea whether you wanna try this yourself. It's pretty hard for us to guess whether you'll get have an easy time or get it all messed up.

If you don't have good stands to support the car (not a jack), don't crawl underneath...

 

Thanks again for your kind responses.

I decided to let the garage do it. The part came in a little less, and the labor came in a LOT less. They charged me for 90 minutes, I'm sure, ten times less than I would have spent in the driveway.

300K, here I come!!


peace,
john