Shifting out of park

[Gymrat]

I did a search and found some good info but didnt find anyone with a problem the same as mine. My 97 Grand Am has a problem shifting out of park, I apply the brake but it wont let me push the button in. If I let the car warm up to running temp it allows me to shift. The colder outside it gets the longer it takes for me to be able to get out of park. I always know when I can shift becasue there will be a loud click unlocking the shifter. The car isnt throwig any codes right now, but from time to time the check engine light and the ETS light will come on. It seems they always come on when I dont have a chance to get the codes read and when I do have time the code goes away.

[daman]

After the first start of the day is it good the rest of the day??

[Gymrat]

No it does it all day long. If I turn the car off for a minute and then restart it I will have to wait a minute or two before it will click and allow me to shift again. Its been doing this since I got the car, it wasnt too bad at first but it seems like it is taking longer and longer to unlock.

[4kQuad]

quick guess,
the sensor down on the brake peddle is not working right. So the shifter is not being released. Most have some sort of plunger system, if it is not moving freely and taking time to release...it could be at fault.

[Gymrat]

I thought something like that myself but wouldnt me pumping the brakes free it up quicker? Ive tried that but it didnt work so I figured it was a problem elsewhere. This is the first time Ive dealt with a problem like this Im used to driving standards.

[Xplod]

My car battery was dead and i tried shifting into nuetral so i could push my car out of the way of another vehicle so I could jumpstart it, but when i tried moving the shifter into nuetral and I pushed my button on the shifter too hard because it would not disengage out of park, so now when I got my car started, it will not move out of park. Is it difficult to replace the shifter button?

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by Xplod
My car battery was dead and i tried shifting into nuetral so i could push my car out of the way of another vehicle so I could jumpstart it, but when i tried moving the shifter into nuetral and I pushed my button on the shifter too hard because it would not disengage out of park, so now when I got my car started, it will not move out of park. Is it difficult to replace the shifter button? The problem isn't "the shifter button", so don't try to replace it.

I'm not sure what the problem is yet, but I'm certain it's NOT the button.
atteries don't just 'die', there's usually an associated reason that also needs to be addressed.

Where is the car now?
Have you tested or replaced the battery?
Have you inspected and cleaned the battery cables?

Standing by,
-Rick

[Xplod]

My friend came over and looked at it, and we pulled the button out and the part that holds it in place is broken on both sides...

I replaced the battery with a new one and it starts fine, and the battery cablfes are fine. My old battery would be fine at night, and then overnight the battery would be completely dead.

But right now i just have to have a screwdriver with me to push a plastic pin down to shift.

The reason the car wouldnt shift out of park in the first place is there wasn't enough current for the brake sensor to sense that i had the foot on the brake to shift out of park, so thats how I ended up breaking the button.

So do I have to buy a whole new shifter, or can i get just a button at the dealership, which i doubt. I'm friends with a parts manager at a gm dealship.

[97Granny]

Gymrat:
My 97 Grand Am SE 2.4L had a transmission issue earlier this year and the end result was bad fluid. It may not be applicable in this situation, but when was the last time you changed it? It should be changed every 31,000 miles. With my car, it was bang on 31,000 when my tranny issues started occurring. It got stuck in gears, or it would shift sloppy.

Xplod:
Were you reefing on the button? I'd think that if the key was turned to start... even with a dead battery... that the car should be moveable. I can't believe the button assembly broke!