Column shift lever makes a hard plastic click sound when moving from park into gear.

[JimCost2014]

So. this is actually a problem I discovered today in the wife's 16 Tahoe (same lever as the trucks), makes a "clicking" sound when you move the transmission from Park into gear.

Once the lever is moved, it moves freely through all gear selections, and no noise going back into the park position, just makes the click sound when you move it into gear.

 

Any ideas, reason I am posting here is because instead of the Tahoe portion of the forum is because there is more traffic on the truck side of things.   

[CamGTP]

Isn't that just the lock releasing in the column to allow it to move?

 

I hear that click sound on just about any GM car that has a console shifter. Put your foot on the brake, press the button, hear a click and then you can pull the shifter down into gear.

[JimCost2014]

33 minutes ago, CamGTP said:

Isn't that just the lock releasing in the column to allow it to move?

 

I hear that click sound on just about any GM car that has a console shifter. Put your foot on the brake, press the button, hear a click and then you can pull the shifter down into gear.

My truck shifts from park to gear with a nice solid "thunk", this sounds kind of like hitting a hard piece of plastic with an object. Almost sounds like it is echoing through the lever.

The tow/haul switch works, but it almost sounds like it might be coming from that area, another noise is at the shift boot, almost sound like the loom is binding/moving on it.

Edited December 8, 2020 by JimCost2014

[CamGTP]

I guess you could just pop the cover off the column to get a better idea of the noise. Kind of the only way to see/hear what the noise is.

[JimCost2014]

5 minutes ago, CamGTP said:

I guess you could just pop the cover off the column to get a better idea of the noise. Kind of the only way to see/hear what the noise is.

Yea, was hoping that I was not the only person with a GM truck to have this problem.

 

I will wait for some more responses before I try to take apart the wife's daily driver.

 

Thank you for the reply and idea.

[tlaw91]

Why don’t you take a video if possible so we know what you’re talking about


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[SILVER SLED]

My money is on that it's normal.  

[JimCost2014]

11 hours ago, tlaw91 said:

Why don’t you take a video if possible so we know what you’re talking about


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What do you think might make a noise more like plastic, rather than metal, not my video, but you can see the inside of the column.

 

 

[tlaw91]

What do you think might make a noise more like plastic, rather than metal, not my video, but you can see the inside of the column.
 
 

I’ve seen many columns on those trucks

And none of them have an issue with the shift control

A crap ton have problems with the supper shaft bearing though!


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[JimCost2014]

1 minute ago, tlaw91 said:

I’ve seen many columns on those trucks

And none of them have an issue with the shift control

A crap ton have problems with the supper shaft bearing though!


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Where is that located?

[tlaw91]

I meant upper shaft bearing
It’s under the cancel cam
You would know when it’s bad because the steering would knock when turning
Nothing to do with your issue
I’m only stating the reason I’ve ever gone into steering columns
Ur probably going crazy it happens you said you were married u get a pass lol

[JimCost2014]

5 minutes ago, tlaw91 said:

I meant upper shaft bearing
It’s under the cancel cam
You would know when it’s bad because the steering would knock when turning
Nothing to do with your issue
I’m only stating the reason I’ve ever gone into steering columns
Ur probably going crazy it happens you said you were married u get a pass lol

Yea, I hardly ever drive the SUV, just took it out for a spin down to beach to make sure all the 4WD functions were still working. It had been sitting for a week while on vacation, wanted to make sure the battery was not dead.      

The doors lock, it goes into gear just fine, and the tow/haul works just fine, but it just sounds so different from my truck. I hate to wait till something breaks, but do not want to pay for, "working as designed, no idea what it might be".

[tlaw91]

It is a different column though..those are designed for power tilt functions where the trucks aren’t. I’d have to listen to it honestly


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[apshirley]

My wife’s 2015 Tahoe does the exact same noise. It sounds so cheap. My father’s 2017 Silverado does not do this. Did you ever figure out what it was?

[JimCost2014]

On 10/27/2025 at 10:35 AM, apshirley said:

My wife’s 2015 Tahoe does the exact same noise. It sounds so cheap. My father’s 2017 Silverado does not do this. Did you ever figure out what it was?

I did not, we sold the truck in 2023. it never really got any worse, or broke, had over 120,000 miles on it when we replaced it with a 2023 Yukon Denali.