Redonred81

Even with the key out of the ignition,i can move shifter from park to drive.what do i need to do.dont think it should go in gear,how do i fix.its a 78

DUB

Actually it does .... or can. GM did away with the shifter lock feature...which made it so you had to have the shifter in PARK in order to get the key out of the ignition.

I have never had a customer ask me to fix this issue. It can be done but will take some wiring and a possible solenoid to lock you shifter in PARK. Because trying to add the lever on the column like GM did yeas before is not going to be an easy feat...and would be extremely expensive..and trying to install an earlier steering column...you will lose many features that are on your column ...thus that idea is pointless.

DUB

Redonred81

[b]so its original?i will not touch it.i just find it strange meaning anybody can put it in neutral and leave with car even tho steering is locked.

76vette1

If a thief got into the car to get at the shifter, he would have popped the lock cylinder out of the column and started the car with a screwdriver and drove it away. Very common on the 'old' days.

Greg

This direct quote from Jim Shea's coverage of the interlock system on '69-'76 cars covers answers your question.

"Starting in the 1977 model year, a small lever was added to the steering column. It was located on the steering column head, directly behind the ignition lock cylinder. In order to rotate the lock cylinder to the OFF-LOCK position it was necessary to trip the lever to open the gate inside the steering column head. Since a double motion was required to go from just turning off the engine to turning off the engine and locking the steering column, General Motors determined that interlocking to the transmission in PARK or REVERSE was no longer required. Note, with the Finger Inhibitor System, the transmission shifter lever does not lock."

On a side note, I also think it's strange GM decided that locking the shifter was no longer important.
Greg

DUB

YEAH..I feel that what GM did was rather 'bone headed' move on their part.

Not good to allow children to be in the car playing around like they are 'driving' when it is on a hill or even on a slight grade...or even in there at all by themselves. Because I was at a friends cook-out a long time ago and he allowed his grandchildren to be in the car and guess what happened. You guessed it...car smacked a tree and the kids were tossed around but not severely hurt. Totally killed the vibe at the cook-out for a while.

DUB

Bigtruckman

IMHO it is no different than a manual transmission. You can take those in and out of gear without the key even being in the ignition. That being said I see two simple no cost solutions. 1. Lock you doors. 2. Apply the parking brake so the vehicle cant roll when it is taken out of gear/park. BTM

DUB

Actually.... on the 1969 to 1976 (I believe) with manual transmission you cannot take the manual transmission out of reverse without having the key in the ignition and it turned on.

DUB

mds3013

My '77 is the same. Automatic shifter can be moved without key. Firefighters saved the car during a home fire because of this feature. mike...