I posted this a few weeks ago:
I went to the store, came back started my car, pressed on the brake and went to push the button to move the car in D. Well the button wouldn't push in as if I didn't have my foot on the brake. So I turned the car off, pressed and held the button(it pushed in this time) held it in and started the car with the button already being held, then I was able to move the car into drive. Oh and once I get the car started the **** works like normal with no problems.

The only reply I got was that it might be some solenoid. Is there a solenoid for the the shifter? Where is it located? Or might this be something else?

 

I don't know a whole lot about solenoids and stuff, but I do know that your shifter bushings might be worn out. And if that is the case you might start experiencing this more offten.

 

Are you talking about the two bushings on the shifter, by the tranny and above the cat? I already replaced those.

 

Yep those are the ones. Well, I guess those aren't it. It's time for the real mechanics to step up now.

 

he he, i had the same problem too, though all i did is when it acted up, i would manually put the car in D with that little emergency push button thing right in front of the shifter. It only happened to me 3 times, so I pressed that, and hasnt happened since.

 

Yes, there is a solonoid that prevents the shift lever from moving if the brake is not depressed. Your problem could be one of two things:

1. Solonoid is bad (you can hear it click when you depress the pedal)
2. Brake switch is bad

The next time it does that, see if you can use something to depress the brake pedal and see if your brake lights are on. If they are, then it may be the solonoid.

 

Where is the solonoid located?

 

If I am not mistaken, it is located under the PRND12 console. During cold weather, when you depress the brake pedal, you can here the "click" come from under there.

 

Having the same problem. I checked the whole system out and found out that it's all conected to the alarm system.
Solenoid is in the console next to the shifter. Sometimes works, sometimes not. There is also a shift lock control box on the passenger side kick panel that I have no idea how it works.
Never did figure it out, just push the release when it won't work.

 

Man, I can hear that "click" every time I press the pedal. No matter what the weather is or how hot or cold the engine is. About how much does a new solenoid run?

 

Luckily, I have not had to change one.

 

Mines clicks too, but the solinoid sometimes won't move. Clicking noise coming from the control box.
It might not be the solinoid. You can check it by hooking it up th the shifter light and by turning the lights on and off, see if the solinoid moves in and out.
I think on mines the shifter lock control box is acting up. Never priced one, and I don't know how to test it, so I just push the unlock button when it won't unlock.
The shifter button that you push with your thumb has a switch on it too. It might also have something to do with the shift lock.

 

Where's the unlock button?

 

Unlock button is the small lever looking thing at the base of the shifter handle. Black with a white dot on it. You need to hold it down while moving the shifter. Two hand job.

 

try moving the shifter back and forth a time or two before trying to put it in gear (that's witht he brake held down so the solenoid is actively holding it open.)
I noticed on my old GXE that if I was holding the shifter button down before I hit the brake, the solenoid wouldn't disengage the lock. let off the shifter, rock it back and forth a time or two, then hit the brake again and try shifting it after that. it used to work for me... until I totalled the car.


CJohnson, the solenoid makes noise all the time... it's just sometimes louder in the winter. I could hear mine all year-round too. it's not a problem unless it stops working.