1997 Automatic.
Car runs flawlessly.
A year ago I went out to the car to start it. Turned the key.. nothing. Not even a click. I moved the gear shifter from park to neutral a few times and the car started right up. Not a problem after that until tonight.
Same exact thing happened. I took the car out of park and into neutral and back to park and it started right up no problem.
I am thinking that since it has only happened twice in a year I most likely didn't have the car fully in park? Is there an adjustment at the shifter lever so that it engages the neutral safety switch that is on the tranny better? I suppose there must be a contact in the shifter assembly that is connected to the neutral safety switch on the transmission housing.

 

swap it to a 5 speed no more problems


-sorry i was hoping i could help but dont have an auto:/ good luck...but sounds like ur on the right track...

 

Bump... anybody?
How exactly does the neutral safety switch on an automatic work?
I know its connected to the transmission but where is the contact switch to activate it? Is it in the center console or is the entire circuit located in that switch on the transmission?
If I knew the layout I could troubleshoot it.
I think it could have just been a case of the shifter not being fully seated in park because it has only happened twice in a year (1 year apart) and both times when I moved the shifter from park to neutral and back to park it started instantly.

 

maybe your ignition switch is bad.

 

If my ignition switch was bad why would the car start as soon as I moved the shifter from park to neutral back to park?

 

neutral position sensor.

 

I'm having the same problem.. anyone know where the Park/Neutral Safety switch is located? And I guess where the Neutral position sensor is? I need to know if I can replace it myself or if I need my mechanic to do the job.

Right now I'm stuck @ work.. I'm hoping this isn't a big job.

 

I can't help with the 4AT neutral switch, but make sure all starter and battery connections are tight. Check the brushes inside the starter, and replace them if they are getting low. I haven't had any issues starting after replacing the brushes in my starter.

 

I'll try to check the FSM tonight.

 

I think what you are looking for is the Inhibitor Switch aka Neutral Safety Switch. It is located on the lower driver side of the tranny toward the rear.. It send the TCM a signal to tell it what gear the car is in and whether it should fire or not (P and N only). I would guess you have a bad switch or something sticking that makes it think you aren't in P but when you move out and back it picks up on it. Maybe something just needs cleaned up. Linkage or cam might be worn. It shouldn't be a difficult fix as long as the problem is at the switch end and not the TCM which seems to be the case. I think the switch just isn't sending the right signal sometimes when in Park. I don't think it's your TCM that is the problem.

Page AT-83+ in my manual.

 

Funny I thought the Neutral Safety Switch was located within the shifter... just had to remove the center console (between driver and passenger seats) to gain access to it. So the car will need to be lifted in order to access the switch for replacement?

The only reason why I believe it's the switch is because the car would only start on Neutral unless I gave my car a nudge at the front bumper (I would here a small click sound) and I could start the car. But now it doesn't start in either Park or Neutral...


I just bought a new Safety Switch from Schucks for only $73 (AutoZone's charging $149.99).

 

According the FSM the harness plug for P/N switch is at the top of the trans.
Find F32 found at F3 on the grid.

 

Thanks... but I meant the actual part that's attached to the tranny. I've done so many searches at this point that I'm going to just have to go search for it... I read that it was on the bottom side of the tranny on the driver's side, so I'll start from there.

 

Well reason dictates that if the plug is there, the switch is there or close by. locate the plug and follow wires. Look near the selector shaft on the trans.

 

True. In a couple of hours I'll get a ride back to my car.

 

www.courtesyparts.com has a diagram i think

 

 

Thanks... this actually helped me a lot! I replaced it and she's running again