Can't shift 1998 Silverado out of park.

brad432001 · October 1, 2005

My son ahs a 1998 Silverado with a 350. Last week he couldn't shifht out of park. He called me and I suggested rocking the truck, well he was able to shifht all week long with no problems. Today same problem, we finally managed to get it to shift by rocking it, but now we have to rock it everytime we shift it.

Any ideas what the problem is? This truch has 170 K miles.

mina98 · June 27, 2008

I have a 97 k1500 that will not shift out of park at all. How do I disconnect the solenoid?

GM-Tech · October 1, 2005

Does the lever move at all? The vehicle has an interlock that prevents the shifter from being taken out of park unless you step on the brake. If this mechanism is bad, you wouldn't be able to get it out of park. If this is the problem, turning the key towards the ON position, but not quite on, will allow you to get it out of park without having to step on the brake. We use this method when the battery is dead and we need to push the vehicle.

If it were in the transmission, which is all I would imagine that rocking the vehicle would affect, then... I don't know. Never seen one stuck in park unless it was parked jammed up against a stop.

brad432001 · October 1, 2005

Does the lever move at all? The vehicle has an interlock that prevents the shifter from being taken out of park unless you step on the brake. If this mechanism is bad, you wouldn't be able to get it out of park. If this is the problem, turning the key towards the ON position, but not quite on, will allow you to get it out of park without having to step on the brake. We use this method when the battery is dead and we need to push the vehicle.

If it were in the transmission, which is all I would imagine that rocking the vehicle would affect, then... I don't know. Never seen one stuck in park unless it was parked jammed up against a stop.

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It worked like a champ. Am able to shift now. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Is the mechanism you're speaking of the same switch that operates the brake lights? If it is changining it woulkd rectify the problem. Any idea the cost.

Again Thanks,

GM-Tech · October 1, 2005

It worked like a champ. Am able to shift now.

Do you mean turning the key, but not fully ON allowed you to get it out of park? If so, it could be the brake switch, the solenoid itself or even the neutral switch. Least likely is the solenoid, since it's released with the key not on and applied with it on, and that seems to work. Next least likely is the neutral switch, so that leaves the brake switch as the most likely cause.

NO power to the solenoid is what allows you to take it out of park. In a pinch, you could just disconnect the solenoid. We drove for years and years without having to step on the brake to take it out of park.

brad432001 · October 1, 2005

It worked like a champ. Am able to shift now.

Do you mean turning the key, but not fully ON allowed you to get it out of park? If so, it could be the brake switch, the solenoid itself or even the neutral switch. Least likely is the solenoid, since it's released with the key not on and applied with it on, and that seems to work. Next least likely is the neutral switch, so that leaves the brake switch as the most likely cause.

NO power to the solenoid is what allows you to take it out of park. In a pinch, you could just disconnect the solenoid. We drove for years and years without having to step on the brake to take it out of park.

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Again thanks, yes just barely turning the key allowed us to shift. We'll change the brake switch and see what happens.