My daughter has a 2002 S40, this AM she called me to tell me that it died in a parking lot. The car runs fine, but the transmission isn't going into gear.

The shifter moves normally and when she tries to put it into park, the parking gear doesn't engage, and she says it has a slight grinding.

Any thoughts?

The car was towed to my house, and I need to take a look at it when I get home from work. Any ideas on what I should check for?

Thanks,

TF

 

Hmmm, maybe take a look to the right of the engine where the gear linkage enters the trans box to verify that nothing is physically preventing the linkage from doing its work. If I remember correctly look down to the left of the battery lower down and have your daughter try to shift gears - you'll see the linkage movement.


Also, violently pull upwards on the shifter **** to pull it right off and then spray some lubricant in the space between the button and the shifter and let sit. Then push it back on. See if that makes a different.


Also, see if depressing the shift lock button next to the shifter while you move the shifter allows you to get it into park.

 

Thanks Pierre,

Interestingly we fixed the shifter button the night before, there was a hunk of plastic getting stuck in the mechanism preventing the button from popping out, effectively locking the transmission.

The shifter can be put into park, but the transmission never locks the drivetrain. We are going to take a look at the shift mechanism first. Is it possible this is a lack of fluid, or is there a cable that could be broken? I'd like to get the parts I might need on the way home before the stores close.

Thanks!

TF

 

Not sure - hopefully someone else will comment. All I know is that the components that lead to the tranny are pretty simple. However once you get inside...it's solenoid replacement time as I understand it.


I suppose a low fluid level could cause some issues like that but I'm really guessing. to check fluid, get the car warmed up, keep it running and pull the yellow dipstick which is inconveniently located just left of the linkage. Get ready for your wrist to get burned.


Back to your shifter issue though, are you saying that the car was running fine before you messed with the button? If so, there's no way that is just a coincidence, something else would be stuck in there...


One more thing you can try (usually this is to get rid of the yellow up arrow issue) - Turn the car on, and shift rapidly in a smooth motion across the range of gears (Park all the way to whatever is at the opposite end) about 20x. See if that does anything. I'd do this AFTER you have visually inspected the linkage.

 

It turns out the passenger side CV axle popped out. The joints are pretty loose, and we were able to take it all apart, and then put it back together and get it to engage, but its making a pretty good noise when its in gear. We are pretty sure the joints are so loose it allowed the end to pop out when making a right turn Will get the replacement axle tomorrow and slap it in after work.

Thanks for answering!

TF