1996 Intrepid - won't shift into PARK and release the key.

HELLO!... wonder if anyone can help or advise or *other*

.... This morning, I managed to get to McD's and back, but when I went
to drive to work, I realised that I am unable to shift the car into
PARK to be able to release the keys.

I'm now stuck with my unlocked car, in neutral with the emergency brake
on and the keys in the ignition.

As it could change gear to get me here OK - I'm assuming the
transmission is fine.
Is this something that I can potentially resolve myself with brute
force and ignorance - or is this a "let's get ripped off by a garage"
job?

Thanks!!!

W.

 

If your car is a console shift, I would pull the console cover off and
have a look at the cable mechanism. Perhaps something fell down into
the path of the mechanism and is jamming the shift lever and cable.
This something you could easily do before calling a tow truck, etc.

 

Excellent... Thanks!! Yes, it's a console shift... I was thinking that
because the car does move, and there are no horrid engine noises, so I
was thinking it could be something like a spring...
Thanks!!!
W.

 

This happened to me with my 2001 Intrepid. I got a little too hasty one
day, put the console shifter into Park - but apparently not all the way
- then quickly grabbed the key, turned it off and tried to pull it out.
I managed to get whole mechanism locked up so that the key would not
come out. Same situation you have now.

I took the covers off the steering column to expose the key and lock
mechanism. From there it was just a few minutes to figure out that some
of the mechanical stuff had jammed up, and it was easy to un-jam it. It
involved the key release cable from the shifter and few little doodads.
Sorry but that's the best explanation I can give. It will be more or
less obvious once you look at it.

Phil

 

There's also a TSB/recall on those cars for problems with the park/key
interlock. My solution on my wife's car was to just disconnect the cable
from the key to the shifter so that as far as the key is concerned, its
ALWAYS in park and the key is always free to turn. I hate nanny
interlocks anyway- I've never run over myself with my 40-year-old daily
driver that doesn't have any key/shift interlock or brake/shift
interlock. The more people come to DEPEND on interlocks, the greater the
risk of a fatal mistake if the interlock should fail or if they happen
to get in an older vehicle without the interlock.

 

Hello all!!
Thanks for your replies.
Managed to get the cover off the console last night, and the top
"connector" for the spring has come off and is jammed under the lever.
So by manually pulling the spring back up into place, I can remove the
key - but I haven't been able to get the "thingie" from the bottom that
jamming the shifter yet... I'll need to get a new connector for the
spring.

Thanks for all your advise!!

W.

 

.... wee update - took it to a friendly local mechanic, and he spotted
that nothing had come off per se - but the PIN had dropped... so he's
going to bash it in for me