QuestionHi, my situation is similar to the previous post except when I turn the car off
the engine stops but dashboard lights are lit and show battery and oil lights
and key will not come out. Sometimes if I wait about 15-30 seconds, I can
hear it disengage and the key will come out. Sometimes it doesn't. I have to
restart the car several times and keep trying until it does come out. Other
times I cannot get the car out of park when I start the car. The shift button
appears to be stuck. Wiggling the button for a while will release it out of
park. I brought the car in and the dealer charged $78.00 for diagnostics and
told me it would cost me $295.00 to fix which includes labor, tax and parts.
They said I need the "control assembly", I looked for parts under that title
and I am getting nowhere. I've tried other searches but failed. I don't want to
be so quick to let these guys fix my car as I really don't trust that this is the
problem. Any thoughts? Thanks!
AnswerHi Laura:
It sounds to me like the floor shifter assembly is bad. The fact that wiggeling the shifter and playing around with the button make me belive that that is the issue. either the linkage is screwed up in the bottom of the shifter and it's not allowing the cable to release the key or it's possable that he button in the handle is bad and it's not allowing the linkage to release the cable. The presvious post I had with in the last week was for a grans Prix and that key release is electrically controlled. on a Grand Am it's a cable that cntrols the key release. You cna try taking the handle off your self and just push on plunger on the top of the shifter to make the shifter move. to remove the handle right at the base of the handle and onm the front of it facing the radio ther is a little metal clip use a small flat bladed screw driver and remove the clip it just pulls straight out and see it the key comes out and your are able to shift the car then. You may have to pull down the boot around the handle to gain access to the clip. good luck :}
