Hi guys - I have another issue with my car ('01 Impala, 3.4L) that i'm looking for some advice on. I've noticed recently that when I put my shift lever into Park, that sometimes the indicator does not light and the doors do not unlock. If I were to shut the car off, it would not restart. If I wiggle the shifter, it will light the indicator and unlock the doors and then everything's fine.

The transmission appears to go into park, because you can step on the gas and the car doesn't move, but everything else indicates that it's not there. The shifter moves smoothly with no sticking or anything like that. Is there a switch that may need to be replaced, or possibly a cable adjustment?

 

When this happens, are you able to shut your car off and take the key out?

 

IIRC, I can. I haven't driven the car in a few days, and I don't remember exactly, but I'm 99% sure I can.

 

Ok so you definitley know that your transmission is in park and that there is no adjustment needed there. I dont really know much about these cars, but there is probablly some electronic/sensor type device that unlocks the doors once your car is in park. Whatever that thing is is probablly in need of adjustment or replacement...

Sorry I couldnt be more helpful!

 

Ok, I just went out and had my wife help me check out the tranny problem. I got her to shift the car while I looked at the lever on the transmission. It turns out that when the car doesn't appear to go into park, I can reach down and push the lever a little further, which then locks it in.

So that appears to me as though it is in need of a cable adjustment. Now I just need to know how to properly adjust it...anybody?

 

Alirght, I had an extra set of hands available, so we took a little closer look at the cable. Turns out, the plastic cover near the transmission end of the cable broke loose and slid down, allowing the cable to kink when I shifted into park. now the cable is weak and does it pretty much every time. New cable is on order to be installed next week. Thanks for the help guys!