out of ideas!!! i have a 02 monte ss 3.8L noticed one day it was hard (stiff) to get into drive. next day shifter did not budge. checked solenoid on side of shifter. has power until brake peddle is pushed then no power, changed that solenoid still cant get shifter to move, changed brake switch still nothing, took shifter cable out and found it did not move at all. change to new one and cable slide smothly out of car. installed cable without hooking to trans and smooth shifting, hook up to trans and shifter wont budge out of neutral. what am i missing?? absolutly driving me nuts.

 

Could be a problem with your neutral safety switch.

 

thanks P343 is that inside the trans do you know?

 

let me add that the car will start and then die out.

 

Here is what I found from one of my sources:
The Neutral Safety switch is part of the Park Neutral Position switch and is mounted on the top of the transmission. The manual shaft runs through it and turns the internal contacts. If you remove your air cleaner housing, you should be able to see it on the top near the back of the transmission under the master cylinder...

In order to repair, the transmission side cover will have to be removed. However, first you should check the shifter cable adjustment, inspect the manual shift selector lever (top of transmission)for loose retainer nut and make sure it is not bent. With the use of a scan tool you should be able to check the switch inputs to the PCM and also make sure the problem is not related to some interference inside the shifter console.

If the shift lever inside the vehicle is NOT going to park then the problem may be with the shift interlock system or the lever inside the vehicle and not the neutral switch.

If the shifter does go in to park but the vehicle doesn't start then it could be the neutral switch, however then you should try to start it in neutral. The two systems are not related electronically and therefore should be diagnosed separate.






The lever assembly-manual shaft detent with internal mode switch (IMS) is a sliding contact electrical switch assembly that corresponds to the PRNDL position selected. Each of the PRNDL positions has a unique ground pattern on four wires from the PCM.
The assembly consists of two major components:
1.- The internal mode switch that consists of:
- The housing (1), which makes up the stationary contacts.
- The insulator (2), which makes up the moving contacts and is secured on the detent lever (4).
2.- The lever assembly which consists of:
- The manual shaft (3)
- The detent lever (4)

The range detection is accomplished by securing the moving contacts to the detent lever. When the driver selects a PRNDL position, the detent lever inside the transmission rotates. This rotates the insulator which in turn grounds the four wires in a unique pattern for each gear selection, corresponding to the PRNDL position selected. The IMS is electrically connected by five wires (four of which the PCM supplies voltage to and one wire that is a common ground) to the transmission pass through connector.

 

Hmmm with that information, not sure it would be neutral safety switch then. If it is bad, it will not let the car start at all (like when you would try to start it when shifter is in drive).
Hopefully someone with much more information than I will post and get you started on resolving your problem.

 

Thanks P343 i am glad its not only me.. apprieciate your help!

 

I wish I knew more about the electronics in the newer cars Sorry I could not be of more help

 

i"m with ya this one has me stumped for 4 days now.

 

BTW forgot to say so before , but welcome to the forum!! Stop over in the new members area and start a new post and introduce yourself and tell us a little about you & your Monte.