I am currently having a weird problem that no one has been able to help me with so far and I am trying to keep from taking it to the dealership. My vette is an automatic =( cause of knee problems. In the mornings when I get ready to go to work, I have to fight with the car to get it out of park. This only happens in the morning. The car shifts fine and everything once I get down the road. When I get ready to leave work it shifts out of park just fine. Not sure why it acts up in the morning when I am trying to shift it out of park. Any ideas as to what the problem is and how to fix it.


Thanks,
Bubbie

 

does it feel like something in the shifter isnt engaging correctly, or does it seem like its in the tranny itself? does it make any clunking noise or anything?

 

Come to think of it, it does make a popping sound in the shifter once it does shift out of park in the morning. The button in the shifter depresses fully like it is supposed to. Not sure if it's not releasing or something to that effect. Throughout the rest of the day, I don't recall the sound or any trouble shifting from park to drive or reverse at all.

Bubbie

 

is there a dipstick for your tranny? it sounds like its just taking a minute to engage the tranny....what do you have to do to get it into gear? does it feel like the shifter is stick, or does the handle almost seem to move, but its like the inside of teh tranny wont allow it?

 

I haven't found a dipstick for the tranny, that was the first thing I checked. I was told that I would have to take it to the dealership for that. Since the car shifts fine after I get it out of park, I was kinda ruling that one out. Could still possibly be it though. It feels like the shifter is stuck. I can depress the button on the stick, but the stick won't move. I end up having to push, pull and wiggle on the stick till it releases and allows me to shift. This morning it took me about 10 mins to get it out of park.

 

it almost sounds to me like the ignition lock isnt disengaging all the way..but its very odd that it onyl happens when it sits for a long time. does there seem to be alot of play in the ignition? or do you ever have a problem getting the key out of the ignition? i knwo that GM has had some issues with their security key systems...

 

I checked this morning when I was getting ready to go to work, and didn't notice any play in the ignition switch, and I have never had a problem with removing the key from the ignition. I've ordered the ShopManual for the car so this weekend I will get to dig in and see what I can find. Thanks for all the help Patrick, much appreciated.


Bubbie

 

keep us posted on what you find..hopefully it is a shifter issue...because the security stuff is evidently a nightmare

 

my first question would be is it cold in the am where you are, that could agravate your shifting condition. i have attached a page from the manual you may be interested in. i would check and clean the contacts at the BTSI switch ( brake transmission shift interlock switch located in the brake pedal) for dirt contacts and sticky operation if that doesent do it, it is most likely the BTSI control solenoid (located under the boot attaching to the shift handel. i believe it would be the latter because what you described sounds like a solenoid that is going bad, the coil windings that draw back the plunger are going bad thus increasing the resistance when they are cold but once used a few times the voltage decreases the resistance thus it appeas to work ok for awhile until it has a chance to sit for an extended period of time and cool off. hope this was helpful.

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Finally got my car back today, it's only been a month. Before I had a chance to fix the shifting out of park problem, a lady ran into the back of me at a redlight. Everything was fixed but took about 4 weeks to get the new taillights from GM, due to them being out of stock. Anyways, I had them check out the shifting out of park problem while they had it. Needless to say, but the place that was servicing the car has caused me more problems now. They unplugged the switch that runs to the pedal that allows you to shift the car. In the process of doing that, they managed to break the gear indicator and I didn't realize it till I got it home. So I decided I would do the work myself. In taking the console pieces out, I have found other minor things that they have broken. All new parts have been ordered and they are having to pay for most of it. I will be doing the work myself. Lesson Learned I guess!