Wont shift into park?

1998 DODGE CARAVAN
86,000 MILES
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RUSTYD
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Initially I had problems putting the vehicle in park. The problem gradually got worse to the point it will only shift to reverse. I can open the hood and manually put in park. I replaced the shift cable but still have the same problem. I have checked the shifter linkages in the dash and everything is free from any binding or kinking. .
Jun 8, 2013 at 11:38 AM
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CARADIODOC
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Are you saying you can put the shift lever in park but the transmission will only reach reverse? That would point to the lever on the transmission being loose. The clue, I suspect, would be a lot of play in the shift lever when you shift between two adjacent gears such as neutral and drive.
Jun 8, 2013 at 1:10 PM
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RUSTYD
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Thanks for the reply. The van would only go to reverse when I used the shift lever. I put in a neutral safety switch just in case it was jamming. I then had a weird idea, was it possible the shift lever on the trans got bent from slamming into park? I measured how far off the shift lever was, I than removed the shift lever put in a vice and tweaked it about an 1/8 of an inch. I put it back together, and if wonders never cease the thing works fine now. After spending hours checking all the mechanical linkage under the hood and the steering column, Dumb luck won out.
Jun 9, 2013 at 6:37 PM
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CARADIODOC
  • ✓ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 34,321 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
Dandy. Happy to hear it's solved.
Jun 9, 2013 at 7:59 PM
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