EDIT: The problem was a lost bolt the whole time. It's explained in the next post for anyone looking to have a laugh at my expense.

Hi all. It's been a while. I am here hoping to gather some input on a problem. My mother's car is a 96 Accord LX with about 140k miles, a 4cylinder, 4 speed auto, all stock and stock replacement parts. Today it developed a transmission issue that I am not yet certain how to fix. I have not looked at the car yet so I don't yet have much to go on. I will make another post tomorrow with anything relevant I find out.

What my mother tells me is that she placed the shifter in reverse position, but the transmission acted as if it were still in neutral. She put it in drive and the transmission shifted normally. She drove the car home without issue today, but when she parked it on our slightly off level street, the car rolled freely while making clicking noises, although the shifter was in the park position. She used the E brake to hold the car still, and was able to turn the engine off and remove the key normally.

My mother doesn't know anything about cars, so she wasn't able to give me any more useful information. I will take possession of the car tomorrow morning and try to diagnose it further. Without knowing any more than I do, I can only guess that the shifter cable is out of adjustment. I suppose there could be a parking pawl or pressure problem with the trans, but I can only guess right now. I can say that last time I drove the car, the trans shifted normally and I did not notice anything abnormal about it. The fluid condition and level looked fine as of several months ago. I have not checked it since.

If anyone has any speculation as to the extent of the problems I am facing and potential difficulty of repairs, please do share. My workspace is quite limited at the moment, so hopefully I can get this thing straightened out without too much trouble. In the near future I will have access to a garage with all the tools and workspace I will need, so major repairs won't be a problem. Until then though, I would like to get this car in working order for my mother, even if I can only accomplish a temporary fix. Also, I was looking around the internet for a replacement shifter cable, just out of curiosity's sake, and can not seem to find one. Might anyone have a part number, or a source to buy one? I was mostly just curious about the price, and how long it would take to get it, should I find that need it.

I apologize, as it does seem I only come around when I need help. I have been cruising around the forum, mostly in the Civic section. I've just been too busy to contribute. Maybe once I get the beaters straightened out I can get around to something fun. Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any help and input.

 

Well, the shifter and trans are in reasonable working order again. It turns out the fix was easy and the problem was my own doing. Last summer, I did a bunch of work on this car, from replacing suspension bushings and ball joints to replacing broken door handles. Included in that work was an aftermarket radio install. I'm certain the wiring is fine, but in trying to hurry the dash install I half assed it a little, and lost a small bolt in the console. I never minded it, but little did I know it was hung up somewhere near or in the shifter mechanism. After lying in wait for some months, it managed yesterday to get caught up in the shifter in such a way that it made the movement tight, especially when the shifter neared the park end of its travel.

Thanks to anyone who read my posts. I do appreciate your time. I hate making work for myself, but the relief that comes with the knowledge that I don't have to roll around under that car in the cold and rain today makes me feel quite content. As a matter of fact, I think I'll go put the interior back together and take myself a nap. Have a good one guys.