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A6 shifter help needed please.

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Old Mar 2, 2012 | 07:38 PM
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Default A6 shifter help needed please.

My shifter is stuck in either N or D but nothing else! Everything was fine and all of a sudden the shifter button won't push? I drove the rest of the way home and looked inside the **** and all looks normal but the button will not push in allowing me to shift to S, R or P.

2006 A6.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated please????
Thank you.

Edit..I have searched but no luck.

Last edited by Goatdad; Mar 2, 2012 at 07:46 PM.
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Old Mar 3, 2012 | 12:43 AM
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Old Mar 3, 2012 | 01:02 AM
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Originally Posted by Goatdad
My shifter is stuck in either N or D but nothing else! Everything was fine and all of a sudden the shifter button won't push? I drove the rest of the way home and looked inside the **** and all looks normal but the button will not push in allowing me to shift to S, R or P.

2006 A6.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated please????
Thank you.

Edit..I have searched but no luck.
When you say you looked inside the **** , did you take if off to look inside?
Did the button work when the **** was off the shifter?
When the **** was off, did you try shifting the trans by moving the part of the shifter that the **** normally activates?
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Old Mar 3, 2012 | 04:34 AM
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This is definitely fixable. Some possibilities:

-- Brake light fuse is blown
-- Brake switch (you should hear a faint clicking when applying the brakes)
-- Reverse lock-out pin is damaged
-- Park-lock solenoid malfunction/damage
-- Shifter cable/linkage damage

I believe the worst-case requires shifter replacement (~$800?).

Unfortunately, a simple problem (like the brake switch or even a weak/dying battery) can interfere with shifting...someone then forces the shifter, causing damage.

More details & discussion:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...-in-drive.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...f-r-and-p.html

Let us know what finally fixes it.
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Old Mar 3, 2012 | 04:50 AM
  #5  
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Happened to a buddy of mine here in Houston and they had to replace his whole shifter, but did it under his extended warrenty her purchased.
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Old Mar 3, 2012 | 07:15 AM
  #6  
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Originally Posted by CO Lightfoot
This is definitely fixable. Some possibilities:

-- Brake light fuse is blown
-- Brake switch (you should hear a faint clicking when applying the brakes)
-- Reverse lock-out pin is damaged
-- Park-lock solenoid malfunction/damage
-- Shifter cable/linkage damage

I believe the worst-case requires shifter replacement (~$800?).

Unfortunately, a simple problem (like the brake switch or even a weak/dying battery) can interfere with shifting...someone then forces the shifter, causing damage.

More details & discussion:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...-in-drive.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...f-r-and-p.html

Let us know what finally fixes it.
This got me on the right track. Thanks a bunch for the help. Everytime I searched I would come up with a whole host of a4 problems. The two links provided are spot on. I'll keep posting with any progress.
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Old Mar 3, 2012 | 07:41 AM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by Dif
When you say you looked inside the **** , did you take if off to look inside?
Did the button work when the **** was off the shifter?
When the **** was off, did you try shifting the trans by moving the part of the shifter that the **** normally activates?
I only took the top of the **** off, removed the spring and white plastic thing and could not push the button down inside.

Now I'm trying to remove the ****?? I've read in the past about removal but can't find that post??? I'm feeling a little dumb. Hey, at least I knew how to open my doors and to use the key at the hatch etc...

Thanks for the replys everyone!
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Old Mar 3, 2012 | 07:55 AM
  #8  
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Originally Posted by Goatdad
I only took the top of the **** off, removed the spring and white plastic thing and could not push the button down inside.

Now I'm trying to remove the ****?? I've read in the past about removal but can't find that post??? I'm feeling a little dumb. Hey, at least I knew how to open my doors and to use the key at the hatch etc...

Thanks for the replys everyone!
Grab the ring just below the shifter... grip it and turn it clock wise (I believe) to the 2 'oclock possibly the 3'oclock position and pull down on it. Once boot has released from shifter pull up like hell and hope that it comes off pretty easy. I acutally had to use a 1" wrench to pry mine off, then again everyone since has been super easy. I may have just had a PITA shifter.
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Old Mar 3, 2012 | 10:09 AM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by Goatdad
My shifter is stuck in either N or D but nothing else! Everything was fine and all of a sudden the shifter button won't push? I drove the rest of the way home and looked inside the **** and all looks normal but the button will not push in allowing me to shift to S, R or P.

2006 A6.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated please????
Thank you.

Edit..I have searched but no luck.
Try this:
http://www.theredlion.us/C6%20A6%20S...20by%20WHT.pdf
Do not try to pry it off, I tried forever to remove mine and I found out the problem was I was just turning the ring. The piece under the ring needs to turn . Drop the ring down and turn the piece to 1 o'clock and then pull. It comes off a lot easier than one would think. Again DO NOT PRY or you will be buying a new **** too.
The white plastic piece ( in the ****) if broken will make it impossible to shift. Remove the **** and then push down on the top of the shifter and if it moves its the ****. Unfortunately the **** is not serviceable ( no parts available) but one member made a new piece out of metal and got it to work. There are no after market ***** available for the A6 except OEM ones that have had leather etc installed.
If it is the shifter I have seen and bought some here and on Ebay for around 125-150. I think I paid 75 for one of them that had a missing shift indicator (on the boot) and the **** was scared up.
If you need more help PM me.

Last edited by Z16chevelleguy; Mar 4, 2012 at 03:39 AM.
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Old Mar 3, 2012 | 10:31 AM
  #10  
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From: Canaveral Groves Florida
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13
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Originally Posted by Andrew6
Grab the ring just below the shifter... grip it and turn it clock wise (I believe) to the 2 'oclock possibly the 3'oclock position and pull down on it. Once boot has released from shifter pull up like hell and hope that it comes off pretty easy. I acutally had to use a 1" wrench to pry mine off, then again everyone since has been super easy. I may have just had a PITA shifter.
Thank you. I got the boot down using your advice but the **** wont budge.
Haven't had the time to work onit it this morning, roof inspection just finished, now I can get back at it.
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Old Mar 3, 2012 | 10:35 AM
  #11  
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13
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Originally Posted by Z16chevelleguy
Try this:
http://www.theredlion.us/C6%20A6%20S...20by%20WHT.pdf
Do not try to pry it off, I tried forever to remove mine and I found out the problem was I was just turning the ring. The piece under the ring needs to turn . Drop the ring down and turn the piece to 1 o'clock and then pull. It comes off a lot easier than one would think. Again DO NOT PRY or you will be buying a new **** too.
The white plastic piece ( in the ****) if broken will make it impossible to shift. Remove the **** and then push down on the top of the shifter and if it moves its the ****. Unfortunately the **** is not serviceable ( no parts available) but one member made a new piece out of metal and got it to work. There are no after market ***** available for the A6 except OEM ones that have had leather etc installed.
If it is the shifter I have seen and bought some here and on Ebay for around 125-150. I think I paid 75 for one of them that had a missing shift indicator (on the boot) and the **** was scared up.
If you need more hepl PM me.
WOW! Thank you, thank you, thank you. I haven't even read the whole thing yet but I can tell its all I should need. Heading back out. I'll keep updating.
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Old Mar 6, 2012 | 04:56 PM
  #12  
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All fixed!!!! I'm using my phone and had just typed a complete tutorial that looked alot like Kaczynski's manifesto but my phone rang and I lost the whole thing.
The short version.........the lockout solenoid was overextended and jammed, not broken. I was about to order a new one from the local dealer ($249) and decided to try and figure out why it wasn't working before tossing it.
When you press the brake it extends a rod on a solenoid that moves a plastic piece out of the way of the release button on your shifter allowing you to put in gear. The rod on the solenoid was slightly bent and not aligned with the lockout piece. I popped it loose and bent it strait with a pair of needle nose and its as good as new.

The hard part was removing the ****. Now I can remove it in 10 seconds or less. The other obstacle was how to remove the linkage once the shifter was unbolted.....lift and twist clockwise.

If your shifter takes a dive don't pay a.dealer $800+ for replacement, It can be done start to finish in thirty min once you know how to get that **** off.

Thanks for everyone's help and feel free to contact me if you are replacing one yourself or just have questions.
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Old Mar 6, 2012 | 05:42 PM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by Goatdad
All fixed!!!! ...the lockout solenoid was overextended and jammed, not broken. I was about to order a new one from the local dealer ($249) and decided to try and figure out why it wasn't working before tossing it.
When you press the brake it extends a rod on a solenoid that moves a plastic piece out of the way of the release button on your shifter allowing you to put in gear. The rod on the solenoid was slightly bent and not aligned with the lockout piece. I popped it loose and bent it strait with a pair of needle nose and its as good as new...
Thanks for the update. And congrats!

I expect this will be an increasingly common problem.

Maybe an enterprising Vendor can develop a rebuild/repair kit, with better parts and detailed instructions & photos.
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Old Mar 6, 2012 | 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted by CO Lightfoot
Thanks for the update. And congrats!

I expect this will be an increasingly common problem.

Maybe an enterprising Vendor can develop a rebuild/repair kit, with better parts and detailed instructions & photos.
Reply
Old Mar 6, 2012 | 08:16 PM
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glad you got that fixed
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