varn

My auto transmission appears to be working just fine, as far as getting the car down the road.

The issue is getting the shifter into the different gears.

I can move it into gear (D, R, etc) but in doing so, It appears to "stick" and gives me a "ratcheting noise". As it goes through the gears from Park to Drive for example, It "catches" briefly, then theirs a metal "ratchet" noise as it goes through R, N, and then gets into D.

Any ideas whether this is an indication of Transmission problem or just a shifter/linkage problem?

Anyone else have this issue?

Thanks!

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

Check the linkage for obstructions, as well as the shifter itself. On my car a coin had fallen in the mechanism that frees up the shifter when you press the brake. I could not get it in gear. Hopefully your problem requires as simple a fix as mine did.

varn

Linkage inside in the center consol in the interior car or underneath the car?

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

Get under the car and check the linkage on and around the transmission. I am not 100% sure, but I thought I read a thread where someone had ran over something and then had difficulty with the shifter. I do not remeber if something was stuck or bent with the linkage under the car, but the person was able fix it on their own. As far far inside the car, open the area under your shifter. To do this park somewhere level with the car off, and pull on the black trim piece around the shifter (get a grip around the area around the shifter, and pull up). To take it off it will help to put the shifter in the middle, like neutral. You will have to disconnect the lighter harness before you are able to take the pieice all the way off. To take it off, just turn the black trim piece side ways after getting if off from the shifter area, so that it will clear the shifter. It may not make since now, but the you will understand when you take it off. After this get a flash light and look inside the shifting mechanism to see if there any obstructions in there. Move it trough the gears to see if you can see something while it sticks.

varn

I got inside, opened it up, didn't see anything that was causing it to stick.

Sprayed some WD 40 inside, seemed to loosen it up a bit, but still does the same thing (the clicks are not as noticable), but it still catches like it's NOT supposed to.

Weird thing has happened 2x now since this problem started:

I get into the car to start it up, turn the ignition switch... nothing.. .it doesn't crank over... the dash lights light up and all, just nothing else. Battery is fine.

I also can't move the shifter out of park... it's stuck. If I come back to the car several hours later, and try to start it - no problem, starts right up.

It's almost as if for awhile, it thinks it's in gear, so it doesn't start? Any ideas on this part of what is now a 2-part problem?

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

I was hoping that it would be a simple fix for you. Did you look at the linkage under the car, and near the transmisison?

The thing with the car not moving out of park, when you press the brake do you hear a click. In the shifter mechanism right where you were looking there is a white latch type of device that lets you move the shifter out of park when you push the brake. It is located to the front of the mechanism, should be easy to find. When I had a penny stuck in there, my car would not move from the park position. I also had one of my audio cables getting in the way once. If you saw no obstructions there and do not hear the thing click or move there may be something wrong with it. It should move every time you are in park and push the brake.

varn

My starter seems to be going bad now. When the car heats up, starter no go, and it sounds kinda sick when turning the motor over.

Sigh...

1996blackmax

iTrader: (2)

That sucks, I went through a spell there where I was forced to put out a good amount of cash to get the car in shape(several bad things were happening in a relatively short amount of time). I feel your pain, but at least the starter is easy to change. I bought mine from autozone for around $150 dollars and it has a lifetime warranty.