Unusual "Stuck in Park" situation?

Bnoonan

Member
Jan 20, 2020
10
0
Oxford, MS
Hello all,

Wife got the bug after driving my 90 and ‘79 RRC. She picked up a beautiful ‘03 D2 with under 80,000mi on the clock and loves it. But today she went to run off to work, and couldn’t shift out of park.
I know...we have by now read hundreds of these posts...but none of them fit what we are experiencing.

1) Brake lights work
2) Fuse 21 is fine
3) I can hear and see this shifter solenoid working.
4) No M or S lights on the dash indicating any issue with XYZ.
5) Check engine did come on about a week ago, but P0441 code does not seem to be relevant.
6) Three amigos are live (diagnosed by shop as shuttle valve).

We came back from a 2 wk trip and she started up right away at the airport, drove home last night, no prob. Stuck this morning.

Suggestions welcomed with thanks.

Cheers,
Brice
 

Toran

Well-known member
Feb 3, 2017
416
48
Ohio
Check your transmission level, could be a simple as adding more fluid and changing the filter.
 

WaltNYC

Well-known member
Mar 3, 2010
707
135
NYC
could be something as simple as a small coin stuck in the mechanism. Could also be a solenoid in the ignition lock going bad.
 

pdogg

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2005
1,216
29
Phoenix, AZ
is the shifter all the way into PARK? I had an issue where it thought it was, but wasn't... had to jamb it forward, before it would release and move back.. just a thought
 

Bnoonan

Member
Jan 20, 2020
10
0
Oxford, MS
Thanks all.
Wife pulled the knob tonight (I'm traveling; don't worry, she didnt hit herself in the face). Photos attached.
Knob works (raises the pointy bit below it). No coins in the way. Things still stuck.
She also pulled and checked every fuse in the footwell box.

Also notable, it seems the button to open the fuel cap cover is no longer working?Screen Shot 2020-01-21 at 9.46.08 PM.png
 

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rovercanus

Well-known member
Apr 24, 2004
9,643
244
Do your sun roofs leak? Have her try everything, windows, door locks, etc.
Had a similar problem last week and it was the inside fuse box. Water leaks in and corrodes the electrickary inside.
 

Bnoonan

Member
Jan 20, 2020
10
0
Oxford, MS
All 3 brake lights work. No leaks in the sunroofs. We did have an odd flickering in the right rear brake light. I wonder if there might be a rub/short there that is causing a problem?
Since application of the brake pedal actuates the park-lock solenoid, would that not mean the switch attached to the pedal is functioning?
 

Bnoonan

Member
Jan 20, 2020
10
0
Oxford, MS
Hi Harv,
That would be very interesting! I’m not sure how to figure that out, but I’ll do some digging.
Notably though, it is not the solenoid on the shifter that is preventing shifting. Something else is holding it in place.
 

rovercanus

Well-known member
Apr 24, 2004
9,643
244
If the solenoid is working properly then chasing electrical problems won't help you. There are no other interlocks for the shifter.
There is a ground under the rear lights in the quarter panel. You can get to it open the little hatch inside. That or a broken bulb filament can be causing your flicker problem.
 

Harv

Well-known member
Fortunately, on the Disco 2, the fuel door mechanism is fairly easy to get at through the little hatch, to give a pull to open the door. On my P38 I have a string connected to the mechanism that I can get to through the hatch.
 

Bnoonan

Member
Jan 20, 2020
10
0
Oxford, MS
Wait, is this true?
Might this mean the fuel door is the issue and the shifter not working is a consequence of this? Fix the fuel door and the shifter will be fine?
The shifter being disabled is a fail safe when the fuel door wont open.

I cross my fingers every time I hit the button for the RRC fuel door.
 

Bnoonan

Member
Jan 20, 2020
10
0
Oxford, MS
True, but I am/was not clear that the solenoid is the ONLY mechanism that is intended to prevent shifting under certain circumstances. I’m digging into this beast today and will report my inevitable success story back here.