Gear lever wont release from "park"

[migma]

l997 Suzuki Sidekick Sport 4x4 - Gear lever unmoving in "park" when ignition switched on and foot brake and handbrake on. Have to manually release gear lever by moving a metal link from left to right which is situated under plastic cover below gear lever. The two inch access point for this is on the left side of the console on floor and awkward to reach when sitting at the wheel. This troubleshooting solution is in my Drivers Manual. I would like to know how this problem may be solved.?? It was an occasional problem but now happening almost all the time.

[Bex]

This may be totally off - I have the FSM for a 91 (and may be different set up than you, etc.) but this seems to be happening to you with brakes on, right? My FSM talks about an automatic transmission brake interlock system, which prevents lever from moving when brakes applied. There is a cable that runs from ignition switch to selector assembly that has a lock nut that can be adjusted

[Slippers]

I agree with the brake interlock assembly. Some are adjustable but most are an all or none switch.

Open the drivers door, kneel down and using a good light look at the brake pedal where it attaches to the firewall. Press the brake pedal and see which buttons it presses. Sometimes the switch is on the front side of the pedal way up under the dash, so look closely.

If its an intermittent problem it could be a failing switch or a simple misalignment.

[kick-fix]

close.but


here is 95 set up, as you can see ,its more than 1 switch.



the coil is the shift lock solenoid mounted to the lever you are filpping.
i will send you in your PM mail , the exact year dwg for your car nex.t
cheers

[kick-fix]

4sp, 97 , interlock, no cruise (3 kinds, 3sp,4sp and cruise)
now all you need is a meter and few minute to find out whos dead and why.
a road map.

http://www.kick-fix.com/look/97-shift-interlock1.jpg

[grats]

I had the same prob in my '97. Take the shifter console apart and you will find
a plastic part that is supposed to stop you shifting from park unless the brake is applied. Just remove plastic part and prob gone, but realise that now the car will shift from park without applying the brakes.

[kick-fix]

you can fix it or bypass it, always 2 solutions in life.

just dont run over the kids ,like the infamous Audi 5000 lady did.

[bliberty_21]

Its actually a electric actuator that is engaged when the brake is depressed. Your actuator might be bad otherwise you may just have a blown fuse. That is what happened to me in my 1994 sidekick. However, if it is not a fuse than the actuator might be shot. There are two ways to fix this: 1. get a new actuator, and 2. wedge the actuator open so you bypass it and dont have to worry about it again

[kick-fix]

or trouble shoot it.
see my schematic, post 5.

this is simple stuff here.
a volt meter (dmm with ohm meter inside) dig. mulitmeter got one.?
20vdc range, minus to ground body metal
probe pin 1 on the shift solenoid.
foot off brake key on , do you have power to the solenoid.
yes, good, if yes,did the solenoid pull in , yes, then did it unlock, no, then mech. problem with this lock.
no power on #1, bad feed.
so work backwards,
see the colors there. blue/green wires.?

no with key on and foot off brake does both side of the brake light switch have 12vdc?
out put side pin 4 dead means switch is dead or adjusted wrong if input side is hot.
input side is dead. pin 2, told you it was easy.
check fuse 17 on yellow feed to PN switch .
if hot , good if not , then the fuse is blown, (no, looking at them means nothing measure them, if the look blown they are if the look perfect they may be blown)
so if you have power to the PN switch and there is no voltage out of the PN at pin7
the the switch is bad or misadjusted ( yes, , fsm has a simple adj)

see just a little work an the answer, if the PN is bad , youll find i too expensive to buy and will bypass it.
mech. or electrically ,no matter. how.

but im not going to tell you to run over your kids. As the Audi Lady did.

[kick-fix]

ps, missed on path .
if the solenoid gets power on pin 1, and dont move it plunger , then ground at 2 is missing. G200 bad. add one. and your good to go.

now you have 3 choices.

• fix it.
• mech mod. (defeat or fix)
• electrical defeat.