Ive got a '97 Accord SE 4cyl. Auto. and its got the shifter you can lock with your key. I was leaving the house the other day and i hopped in and started the car. I went to put it in DRIVE and it wouldnt move from Park. The button pushes in but wont move. We messed with it for about 30 minutes and played with the lock and it finally came loose and shifted into DRIVE. It happens occationally and i can just play with it and itll come loose. Any tips or suggestions because its starting to get irritating. Im a mechanic and its my girlfriends car acctually, I havent pulled anything apart.
Thanks

 

Soooo.......Anyone?

 

Possibly the brake switch up further the pedal assembly that's stuck so it thinks the brake pedal has not been depressed.

Or could be a problem with the ECU (the tranny computer is integrated)

As a temp work around, while the car is off, put your key in the shift release and shift it to neutral, then start the car that way, then move it into drive

 

Hey I appreciate it man. I totally didnt think about the whole brake thing.
Oh, and it wont just not shift into DRIVE, but it wont get out of PARK at all when it is stuck. And it only gets stuck in when it is in PARK.
Now is this the same sensor that tells your brake lights to come on? Is it like on the old cars where its like a button that is always touching the break pedal lever and when it compresses or decompresses the brakes illuminate?

 

Yep, I'd see if it's faulty, should be about 5 inches above the pedal itself on the metal shaft.

Using that shift lock release can you move it?

 

My girlfriend said she put the key in the dang hole and it wasnt moving.
Can the car be running or does it have to be off?
Im gonna check if the 3rd brake light or any of the brake lights are working today.The cars at my girlfriends parents house right now
It usually gets stuck about once a week. ill start it, itll get stuck, and i jiggle it for about 20 seconds and it will finally move out of park.

 

Alright well the shifter got stuck in PARK again last night and my girlfriend checked the middle stoplight and it would work then it wouldnt work. So the stoplight switch on the brake pedal lever is probably getting stuck like you said. When I get back from where im at im just gonna change out the switch and the rear middle brakelight. Is this the light i need?

http://www.napaonline.com/Mast...+Bulb

PS: Your idea of using the shift release and starting it in Neutral worked. My girlfriend thanks you for that because she said she was gonna run it into the lake if it wouldnt have worked. haha.

 

Haha no problem Bulldog

And yeah sounds like it's that brake light switch. It's not the bulb, but the actual switch And probably want to go to Honda for it, I haven't seen it at Napa or Autozone myself. let me see if I can find it

 

http://tasauto.com/Product/Bro...8&p=3

Check out that

 

Hey I found the switch at NAPA Autoparts. They call it a 'Stoplight Switch'. They've got it for Accords w/ powersteering and without powersteering with the 4 prong or the 6 prong connectors. Now ive just gotta find out if she has the 4 or the 6. Its an SE, i dont know if that changes anything.

Heres the page i found them on: http://www.napaonline.com/Mast...tId=4
ps: Its on the 3rd page and the link brings you to the 1st page for some reason. Just throwin that out there.

Oh, ps: Im in Iraq coming home in a couple weeks and Im trying to fix this dang car from far away so my girlfriend doesnt have to spend 300bucks at a dealership. I think she might wait til i get home and just use the good ol shift release, we'll see if i can find someone to do it.

 

Ah I gotca, yeah it's really not hard to find it, just put your hand on the brake pedal and run it up the metal and you'll see it.

Thanks for serving