My daughters 1991 240 sedan is parked and the shifter will not go above drive. It will do Drive, 1, and 2 but not go up into Neutral, Reverse or Park.

Evidently she started it and put it in reverse when it was still sputtering and it stalled. How she went from there to Drive, I do not know but that's where it stands.

Has anyone ever heard of this? Is there a way to release this?

Keep in mind that I am talking about the actual shifter (this is not a overdrive shift lock question).

 

its either in the shifter linkage, or the transmission itself, hard to say without seeing it. the spring loaded button is working OK? you need to push it in to get from D to N or R, and also to get from 2nd to 1st. D to 2 and back should shift without needing the button, as should 1 to 2 or D. the latch mechanism that button works is under the shift bezel, in a along side the shift lever. the actual detents and shift selection mechanisms are inside the transmission.

the shift lever moves another lever that hangs down near the drive shaft, and this lever is connected to a rod that goes forward to the selector lever on the side of the transmission. I'm thinking to diagnose this, that rod will need to be disconnected to see if the shift lever itself moves freely up and down, and if so, then if the gear selector lever on the transmission moves its whole range. if its inside the transmission, your best bet will likely be finding another tranny in a junkyard, any 240, 740, 940 automatic from about 1985+ except a 16V will have the right transmission. the 16V 740/940 models have different gear ratios. repairing your transmission could easily run $3000 including removal/installation.


here's a diagram...


the 'rod' I mention is part 57. '56' is the lever coming down from the shifter, part 7 is the lock mechanism that the center button unlocks, and 62 is the lever on the side of the actual transmission.

to remove this whole assembly for R&R, you'd want to disconnect the rod via the clip 61 underneath the car, then from inside the car remove the bezel 53 and unbolt the box 36 via the screws 36a, then lift the whole thing up, being careful of the electrical wires for the park/neutral starter interlock, and the OD button.... the plastic washer/bushings 54 and 60 are known to wear out and make the shifter sloppy but I've never heard of it jamming like this..