Avalon Shifter Locked Up

[dhavenm]

I have a 1996 Avalon XL and for some reason, I can't get the shifter to budge out of park. The car starts up as usual and nothing else seems abnormal. Any ideas about what might be up or what I could try to fix it?

Thanks,

Debra

[jamesholden]

Try putting your foot on the brake whilst moving it, that might sort it.

[MyV6Flys]

If the Brake trick don't work, in my camry next to the shifter just to the left of it is a small square piece of plastic that pulls up right there. if you pull the plastic piece up, you will see a buton. Press it, the car will come out of park. The button is a over ride for the getting out of Park.

Don't replace the plastic piece, you may have to push the button again before you figure out what is wrong.

[dhavenm]

Thanks for the advice ya'll. I did not know there was an over ride button. Good to know if it ever gets stuck again.

Deb

[abishai]

I just boght a 97 Avalon Xl. It didn't come with a manual. This morning, it was stuck in park so I came to look for tips and found this post. The only problem is that mine has a column shift, so no square plastic to pull off. Does anyone have a clue how to override on the column shift?

[MyV6Flys]

Shift Lock Override Button, is what you are looking for.

I rechecked in my book in the area about the button. No where does it talk about a colum shifter. From the book it looks they all have the shifter between the seats.

So, maybe the switch on the brake peddle is faulty or a wire fall off. The computer get the info. from the switch that touches the brake peddle you push on. The same switch tells you back lights to come on when you hit your brakes.

If that switch has gone bad or a wire fell off, then the computer is not getting the message the brake in enguaged so it's ok to shift out of park.

If you get to where you can see the shaft the brake peddle is part of. Up under the dash there is a switch that touches the brake peddle shaft. That is the switch that maybe having problems.

?? do your brake lights turn on ?? They may have stopped now that the car will not come out of park. If the key is On and you step on the brakes and lights come on... I think you just found the problem.....Hope it's just that simple.

Good Luck.

[abishai]

Yes I agree that the bench seat avalons with column shift are rare, but I happen to have one of them. There was a small plastic cover on the column which I popped off and pushed the lever and somehow managed to get out of park, but now I can't get back into park.I am driving around and park in neutral - have to find a flat place to park just in case.

I spoke to the guys I bought the car from and they reffered me to a mechanic they use who said he had replaced some steering column for a car like mine recently - I think it might be the one I ended up with. But he got nervous - hearing that his handiwork has not lasted and was not too revealing afterward. But I managed to get some cues out of him. He says that there is a plastic part that breaks easily in there and you just have to find it.

Then I spoke to another mechanic who said about the same thing, but he thinks that the part is a pain to find, and he doesn't know what it is called. So we have to check with the dealer.

Also on another thread, I am going to have the front struts replaced and they want to put in Monroe Sensatracs. Are those good parts? I read somewhere that they are not gas struts and the oems are, is that true? Does it matter?

[MyV6Flys]

Glad you got it out of park, maybe if you push the button in while you try putting it back inot park it will let you. It let you relase it that way. Just a thought.

I can't help you with the struts. But can say don't go with the cheepest.

[abishai]

Done that. It doesn't do anything. The shifter still won't go into park. I am having someone look at it before I take it to the dealer. Will let you know how it goes.