No crank, no start, shift to park theft light on steady

Tiny
KEV K 06 STS-V
  • MEMBER
  • 2006 CADILLAC STS-V
  • 4.4L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 173,211 MILES
Shift to park message accessories stay on won't shut off. When try to push start button goes black and service engine light stays on only and then after about 10 seconds call dash lights kick back on just like when you start the car. Also noticed shift indicator light is gone so I have no park, drive, neutral indicator on dash. Put in brand-new battery check wires some battery looking for brakes or corrosion everything tested good. So every day after trying to figure it out have to disconnect battery so battery doesn't die from accessories being on. Every once in awhile when I first reconnect battery after battery has been disconnected all night the park indicator will appear where it's supposed to be in message center and the car will start. That only happened twice. It's been awhile since it happened. So I noticed when park indicator is present the car will start, but where did it go? I went to AutoZone because someone told me it could be a shift indicator, but they have no listing for it for my car and I can't even find where it is. Is that the problem? And also I got a neutral safety switch. Could that cause the problem? I did not put it in yet I'm waiting to see if that could cause it because it's inside the transmission.
Saturday, August 3rd, 2019 AT 3:57 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,643 POSTS
Hello,

This is a common problem with these cars. The issue is the shift linkage bushing wears out and it does not push the transmission all the way install park which wont allow the ignition to be turned off. So you need to replace the linage. Here is how you fix the problem. Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what happens.
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Monday, August 5th, 2019 AT 12:48 PM
Tiny
KEV K 06 STS-V
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Linkage bushings are good because I did a swap of the shift assembly and the bushings were checked before the new one was installed is there anything else besides shifter assembly and linkage that would cause this shift to park would a bad neutral safety switch cause the shift to park I already bought a new neutral safety switch and everything else I need for a transmission change including new filter fluid and gasket just wondering if that could cause the problem don't want to get into changing the neutral safety switch unless I know it could possibly be the problem but if it can't cause the shift to park I'm not going to worry about that right now I want to get the car running first and then I do plan on changing the neutral safety switch when I change fluid and filter since I'm already going to have the pan dropped and also my theft system is activated but I can't do what day are telling me to do to put the theft system in the relearn process because it says you have to put your accessories on for 10 minutes and when the light goes out shut the accessories off for 5 seconds and then turn it back on do it all together three times for 30 minutes but due to the shift to park I can't shut my accessories off for the five seconds so I'm kind of stuck any suggestions will be greatly appreciated I'm waiting for my mechanic to get an opening thank you
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Tuesday, August 6th, 2019 AT 1:05 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,643 POSTS
Do all the shift lights work when you run through the gears? If so the gear range sensor should be okay. I had an idea that the battery might be weak or you have a bad connection. here are two guides to go over:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/everything-goes-dead-when-engine-is-cranked

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

Please run down these guides and report back.

Can you please shoot a quick video with your phone so we can see what's going on, that would be great. You can upload it here with your response.
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2019 AT 4:33 PM

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