Hi folks, I'm posting here as no one at Odyclub seems to recognize the problem I am having. Perhaps a tech can help - I believe the shifter on my Ody is similar to the ones in 1st gen CRVs.

The Ody is automatic and the shifter is mounted on the column. The gear lever is very difficult to shift out of reverse. It goes into reverse not too badly (though this is degrading too), but once we need to shift to go forward, the lever seems stuck and takes a huge effort to force the gear lever down, out of reverse and into N or D.

I opened up the steering column cover to inspect and analyze the problem. I can confirm that the park-shift solenoid works fine and that it is not related to the problem.

Closer inspection shows that the mechanical linkage gets stuck at R:
Gear will go from P to R then gets stuck.
Forcing the gear with quite some force will get the gear down to D3 or 2 or 1, depending on how hard it was being pulled down. Once it is out of R, then all the gears are smooth, even going back to R and down again.
But it will now resist going into P, and needs to be forced into P.

Anyone with experience/understanding of the shift mechanical linkage?

FYI: 1995 Odyssey LX with 250k km (or 156k miles). The Ody has been in the family since new, and we have owned/driven it for the past 10 years. No work around the steering column has been done. The tranny itself seems to be fine.

 

I would first try removing the neutral safety switch assembly if yours is equipped as so. If you are still having an issue at that point, try removing the shifter cable and check for any binding at at the shift shaft on the transmission. That should tell you if you have an internal shift problem within the trans, or cable fray/bind. Hope that helps! Let me know what you find.

 

Thanks Syncho for the response.

Regarding the Neutral safety-switch, there are no problems starting the car, either in P or in N. Doesn't this eliminate the part from the diagnosis? Or can it somehow impede shifting once the engine is on?

As for the cable, there is only a shaft/rod that slides in and out (mechanically linked to the shift lever). There are no visible cables - I thought that was for manual trannys, or is there a cable inside that shaft?

I inspected and prodded for about an hour, and can't tell if there's any binding. I don't think so, as the shifter will slide between N and 1 nicely. It's just getting past R, in either direction (towards N, or after driving towards P).

I will look again tomorrow and see if lube (from a lube pen) on individual contact points will make a difference. The factory grease seems to have done its job well and is still visible for the most part.

 

there are cables:

 

Hi every one... Does any body find the Solution for above problem. I have exact same problem with my gear shifting.It stuck in (R) reverse Gear position.

Thank you.