2005 automatic shifter sticks in park

[PtDemon]

2005 PT Cruiser, Automatic shifter sticks in park. If you mess around with the button for a while, it will eventually come out of park. It usually works by pressing the button very hard or hitting it on top. I can't even figure out how to get the console apart much less determine what is wrong. Does anyone know anything about this?

Any help would be appreciated.

[PhillRoath]

Originally Posted by PtDemon

2005 PT Cruiser, Automatic shifter sticks in park. If you mess around with the button for a while, it will eventually come out of park. It usually works by pressing the button very hard or hitting it on top. I can't even figure out how to get the console apart much less determine what is wrong. Does anyone know anything about this?

Any help would be appreciated.

Could be the brake sensor, you have to have your foot on the brake pedal for the tranny shift to release.

[PtDemon]

Where is the sensor? The brake lights do come on when the brake pedal is depressed, but it doesn't want to come out of park. When it finally does come out of park, it is apparently because you hit the button on the top of the shifter just right (or hard enough). I did find the interlock cable in the column. It goes in right under the key, and appears to move just fine (when you get the button un-stuck).

How does the shifter console come off/apart? I can't even figure out how to remove the knob/button.

I thought I might add that this is NOT an auto-stick tranny. It is 41TE with the tranny code of 312AA.

[PtDemon]

After researching this most of the weekend, I think what I need to do is install a new shift interlock cable. Does anyone have the rundown on how to do this on an 05 PT?

[CREWZIN]

PtDemon,

I wasn't going to do this and I'm still hesitant about starting it since It's hard to explain every bit of detail on adjusting the interlock cable. Yes, you can adjust it. There's 4 pages of instructions in the 01-04 PT Service manual on how to take the whole cable out or adjust it and I'm not about to go over everything. I'll go over the adjustment part and how to get to it.

The shifter:

Basically, the head of the shifter knob is held on my one allen screw. Look under the cobra head to find a small hole that has the allen screw. Not sure what size, try different ones till the screw starts to turn counter clock-wise and the head of the shifter comes off.

Now the floor center console.

There are 4 screws that can be seen looking down at the console. 2 in the back and 2 up front. Take them out.
Pry the rear window switches out of the back of the console and unhook the switches from the wiring harness. It's been too long since I did this but hopefully you can figure it out.
If you have a Limited Edition, you have a 12volt socket in the front. What I'll instruct you to d is take the console out lifting from the back and keep the 12 volt in tact. It's bear to unhook anyway so we'll just put the console to the side still attached by wires to the 12 volt socket.

Now, bring the handle to the hand brake as far up (on) as you can go. Push the drivers seat all the way back as far as it will go.
Now start lifting the console from the back, over the hand brake and over the shifting rod. When you get it up (still attached to the 12 volt socket move it over to the passenger side, corefull of the wires so it's out of the way.

That was the hard part.

The shifter bezel (plate arond the shifter) is held on by 4 screws, one at each leg. Unscrew those screws and lift the bezel straight up and off.

The next part is straight from the manual and I've never done it so if something don't make sense, it's the manuals fault.

"Adjust Interock cable/system as follows:
Pry up on cable adjuster lock to release and allow cable to self adjust. Lock cable adjustment by pressing down on the adjuster lock
bottomed at the cable housing.
Verify correct system operation."

Good luck.

[PtDemon]

Thanks Crewzin. I appreciate the help. Do you think the BTSI solonoid should be replaced at the same time?

Symptoms: Car almost always sticks in park. Car has also shifted into nuetral twice while just driving normally down the road and will not engage in any gear (regardless of whether or not it is stuck in park) until the positive battery cable is disconnected and re-connected. Then it works fine for a while. Sometimes only a few miles. other times after hundreds of miles.

Thanks again for the help. I really appreciate it!

[CREWZIN]

I'm just going by the manual and have no experience in the shifter sticking as mine has been great (knock on wood) for over 100K.

[EssexExport]

Originally Posted by PtDemon

2005 PT Cruiser, Automatic shifter sticks in park. If you mess around with the button for a while, it will eventually come out of park. It usually works by pressing the button very hard or hitting it on top. I can't even figure out how to get the console apart much less determine what is wrong. Does anyone know anything about this?

Any help would be appreciated.

Sounds like something that happens with my '04. I just press down on the button, plus the ball with one foot on the brake pedal. Works just fine.

[PtDemon]

I just wanted to post a follow up on this for others who may need it in the future. The shift interlock cable is a dealer only part, so don't bother calling the local parts store. The procedure you described is accurate. The BTSI solonoid is built in to the new cable (in the middle). After swapping the cable out, it worked flawlessly coming out of park. I have yet to have it neutral out, so I am thinking the cable was the problem.

NOTE: The new interlock cable comes with a pin built into the top of the connector on the shifter end, that you pull out after the new cable is in and secured. When you pull the pin out, the cable auto-adjusts. It is very simple and straight forward. The only problem encountered was snaking the cable around behind the dash, but it wasn't too bad.

Thanks Crewzin and everyone else who helped out here.