Ignition Switch/ Shifter Lockout
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Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Marion IN
Ignition Switch/ Shifter Lockout
I just had a very strange thing happen . I moved the car into the garage. I went to shut it off and take the key out, and the key would not turn far enough to remove it. It would shut the engine down but only go as far as accessory. If I put a little pressure against it, it would turn everything off, but let go and everything comes right back on.... radio etc. I had to remove a battery cable to shut it down. Then I noticed that the shifter release button is stuck down (auto), It will just slide into any gear. What the heck happened all of a sudden? The car was just fine this morning. Are these problems related? . Or are they two totally separate problems. Seems awful suspicious to me New ignition switch and tear into the shifter? Anybody know the fix?
i have owned this 2003 C5 for 13 years now. 73K miles. It still looks, runs and drives like new with my maintenance. I am pretty good mechanically, but not even sure where to start with this. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.
i have owned this 2003 C5 for 13 years now. 73K miles. It still looks, runs and drives like new with my maintenance. I am pretty good mechanically, but not even sure where to start with this. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,294
Likes: 482
From: Brea CA
Sounds like you may have a bad shift cable bushing, possibly the one at the shifter. The bushings in the cable tend to deteriorate from heat cycles and age. These cause the shifter to feel disconnected.
There is a interlock cable that goes from the ignition switch to the shifter to lock it into park when the key is out. Due to the shift cable being disconnected the shifter seems to not be getting into the park position and not getting into a position where the lock cable can do its thing.
There are several threads on replacing the bushings in the shift cable.
Gary
There is a interlock cable that goes from the ignition switch to the shifter to lock it into park when the key is out. Due to the shift cable being disconnected the shifter seems to not be getting into the park position and not getting into a position where the lock cable can do its thing.
There are several threads on replacing the bushings in the shift cable.
Gary
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Miami FL
As mentioned above, usually the cable is fine and is just a broken bushing at one of its ends.
Even though most probably only 1 gave up, this is a call to replace bushings at both ends.
All that's needed is the kit. Use the white bushings (the orange ones are for Ford):
And
A little dielectric grease combined with long channel-lock pliers will make things a lot easier when installing the bushings. Just get 2 pieces of cardboard or something similar and tape them over the grooves in the pliers jaws to protect things when pressing the bushings in.
This is very doable and it's just a few bucks and a couple of hours to change the bushing at both ends of the cable, taking your time
