Stuck in Park Fix
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 126
Likes: 24
From: SC
Stuck in Park Fix
My slightly different take on repairing the "Stuck in Park" problem with automatic Corvettes. This restores it to "like new" operation.
My 2007 Coupe with 82000 miles was starting to require an extra push on the shifter to get the "click" to allow release from park. It was time to fix it.
You still need to disassemble the console and I have a few hints for that. Sorry, no photos, but you will need to follow the excellent youtube video for console removal.
Being a dopey engineer, I like to dismantle things to see how they failed. I found that I could dismantle and repair the small switch itself. More on that in a moment. After getting all the console assemblies out, I looked carefully at how the shifter pushes the switch The shifter DID click the switch, as it should, but the switch would not make electrical contact, until pushed a bit further. To explain further, this means that there was nothing worn or bent that was causing the problem. Something was very wrong there, since these micro switches use an "over center" operation and are either on or off, but no in between. After doing the console removal, I removed the switch by pushing back the two small clips holding it and working the two wires out of the hold downs. I cut the wires about 3" to 4" from the switch and brought the switch to my workbench. Good eyes or magnifier glasses will help here. The switch is very simple and has only two small parts you might lose. The switch has 4 plastic clips on each corner, that holds it together. To dismantle, carefully pry back 2 of those clips on one long side, prevent it from snapping closed again and do the other long side. The switch will separate easily. Now you will see the real problem. The slight electrical arcing, over many years, has caused the contacts to burn or carbonize. Notice that the button on the switch pushes down on the small spring and not on the contact plate. Although the switch would close with the shifter in park, electrical contact would not happen, until the switch button was pushed further, causing the contacts to slide around and finally make contact. Or not at all, in some cases. The simple cure is to clean the switch contacts, which restores it to new operation. I removed the small spring and contact plate and used a tiny file, but you can scrape it with a small knife or even sandpaper, without removing those parts. When re-assembling, remember that the button pushes on the spring, not the plate. Just snap it back together and test with a multi meter in lowest resistance setting. Once done, your switch is good for many more years.
I replaced the switch, by sliding heatshrink tubing down the wires, soldering the wires back, then sliding the heatshrink up and shrinking it. I did reconnect the car battery to make sure it worked. It did! The switch now works as it did when new. I think that bending the switch arm will only delay the problem. Now to replace the console parts.
To sum this up, in my case, the problem was the switch internal contacts and only that. Nothing else was out of spec.
My suggestions for the console removal:
1 - If you have the "Tour/Sport" switch at the rear od the console, it takes a big pull up on the back of it to release the metal clips inside. Slides out after that.
2 - The emergency brake boot has two metal clips inside, but also two plastic "J" shaped hooks on each end. You may need to bend it a little to release them.
3 - I did NOT have to pull the shifter boot from around the "PRNDS" display. The leather boot lifted out of the way without that. It would be hard to reinstall.
4 - The shifter boot is held down with elastic, but there are a couple of plastic hooks that you need to pull it away from to avoid tearing.
5 - When removing the last plastic surround, using needle nose pliers, be careful of the orange shift indicator as noted in the video. A bit quirky to reinstall, but doable.
In hindsight, I wish that I took note of the switch part number, so that you may find new ones on Amazon or elsewhere.
Side note - A better design would have been to incorporate a capacitor over the switch contacts to reduce the arcing and allowing longer life.
My 2007 Coupe with 82000 miles was starting to require an extra push on the shifter to get the "click" to allow release from park. It was time to fix it.
You still need to disassemble the console and I have a few hints for that. Sorry, no photos, but you will need to follow the excellent youtube video for console removal.
Being a dopey engineer, I like to dismantle things to see how they failed. I found that I could dismantle and repair the small switch itself. More on that in a moment. After getting all the console assemblies out, I looked carefully at how the shifter pushes the switch The shifter DID click the switch, as it should, but the switch would not make electrical contact, until pushed a bit further. To explain further, this means that there was nothing worn or bent that was causing the problem. Something was very wrong there, since these micro switches use an "over center" operation and are either on or off, but no in between. After doing the console removal, I removed the switch by pushing back the two small clips holding it and working the two wires out of the hold downs. I cut the wires about 3" to 4" from the switch and brought the switch to my workbench. Good eyes or magnifier glasses will help here. The switch is very simple and has only two small parts you might lose. The switch has 4 plastic clips on each corner, that holds it together. To dismantle, carefully pry back 2 of those clips on one long side, prevent it from snapping closed again and do the other long side. The switch will separate easily. Now you will see the real problem. The slight electrical arcing, over many years, has caused the contacts to burn or carbonize. Notice that the button on the switch pushes down on the small spring and not on the contact plate. Although the switch would close with the shifter in park, electrical contact would not happen, until the switch button was pushed further, causing the contacts to slide around and finally make contact. Or not at all, in some cases. The simple cure is to clean the switch contacts, which restores it to new operation. I removed the small spring and contact plate and used a tiny file, but you can scrape it with a small knife or even sandpaper, without removing those parts. When re-assembling, remember that the button pushes on the spring, not the plate. Just snap it back together and test with a multi meter in lowest resistance setting. Once done, your switch is good for many more years.
I replaced the switch, by sliding heatshrink tubing down the wires, soldering the wires back, then sliding the heatshrink up and shrinking it. I did reconnect the car battery to make sure it worked. It did! The switch now works as it did when new. I think that bending the switch arm will only delay the problem. Now to replace the console parts.
To sum this up, in my case, the problem was the switch internal contacts and only that. Nothing else was out of spec.
My suggestions for the console removal:
1 - If you have the "Tour/Sport" switch at the rear od the console, it takes a big pull up on the back of it to release the metal clips inside. Slides out after that.
2 - The emergency brake boot has two metal clips inside, but also two plastic "J" shaped hooks on each end. You may need to bend it a little to release them.
3 - I did NOT have to pull the shifter boot from around the "PRNDS" display. The leather boot lifted out of the way without that. It would be hard to reinstall.
4 - The shifter boot is held down with elastic, but there are a couple of plastic hooks that you need to pull it away from to avoid tearing.
5 - When removing the last plastic surround, using needle nose pliers, be careful of the orange shift indicator as noted in the video. A bit quirky to reinstall, but doable.
In hindsight, I wish that I took note of the switch part number, so that you may find new ones on Amazon or elsewhere.
Side note - A better design would have been to incorporate a capacitor over the switch contacts to reduce the arcing and allowing longer life.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,338
Likes: 2,438
From: Eastern
Good observation on the switch. I did the pawl tieback method years ago, so if I need to pull it back, I can in the center console.
Your thread is useful for those that want to play with the switch, or buy a new one and install.
Your thread is useful for those that want to play with the switch, or buy a new one and install.
