push button failure

[Geff McCarthy]

Suddenly I canot move the lever down to park. It moves to half way, and partly moves the Neutral button, but cannot be forced past to the bottom. Thus I cannot start the motor. Help!!

 

[dvw]

Park cable may be melted or bent at the shifter. Look under the dash. If it looks ok? then disconnect the park cable at the adapter housing. Does it move smoothly? If no? It's a cable issue. If yes? The park pawl may be cracked.
Doug

 

[silversedan]

the park cable doesn't have anything to do with starting the car, with the park lever in the up position do the push buttons move freely? if so the car should start with the neutral button pushed in. you just won't have park till you fix the park cable or park pawl like Doug mentioned.

 

[Geff McCarthy]

NO the buttons D2 1 move but the neutral button does not go all the way in when pushing down on the park lever, which cannot be moved past 1/2 down. I discovered the clamp bolt slightly loose, could not loosen the Allen screw and have given up for the day

 

[dvw]

The allen screw sometimes need a good smack. An hand impact driver works. However if the clamp bolt is loose? The park gear may be in a position where the pawl can't drop into the notch. If this is the case the cable can't go into the cable housing at the trans far enough. At times this may bend the cable at the shifter. Or it's simply the outer portion of the cable is not in the correct position. You may be able to rotate the driveshaft slightly. This will allow the pawl to engage the notch. The outer portion of the cable normally sets about .100"-.125" beyond the edge of the adapter housing when it's adjusted correctly.
Doug

 

[Ron H]

All good advice. Maybe I missed something though: You should be able to press the N in without the park cable slid down, as pointed out.
With lever up, all buttons should work freely. If the buttons bind up there may be a problem in the button slide mechanism, spring, button, or cable adjustment. If they work, keep lever up, start the car and shift the buttons with foot on the brake. If good, shut it off, and see if you can roll the car like with a foot on the ground or with a helper. I mention in case the pawl may be engaged or partly engaged so it doesn't get broken with car under power. Just my 2-cents on approaching what's wrong.

After a friend broke the parking sprag (he slid the lever down while car was not fully stopped-grr) I seldom engage park by moving the lever, I push N with foot on the brake and then slide the lever down. Yeah, extra cautious, just became a habit so I don't engage park when the car might be rolling and avoid the hassle of fixing it.

 

[Geff McCarthy]

thank again top all. I did rotate the crank 10-20deg, no change. Conversely, when rolling the car downhill with the D button part way in, a clicking noise is heard. It stops when N is partly engaged. I tried again to loosen the set screw, but broke off the Allen wrench end, which is now embedded in the screw. So...I am screwed for the moment. Next, attack the button box...

 

[dvw]

You don't need to get the allen screw out to adjust the cable. How far is the aluminum portion of the cable sticking out of the housing? It may just need adjustment. doesn't need to be removed to adjust. If it does need to be removed? You can remove the 5 bolts holding the housing. It will loose a little fluid, maybe 6oz. so have a can ready. Now the cable can be disconnected. On th ebench in a vice heat the housing with a propane torch and the allen will come out. I've only ever had to drill one out once. And yes if the cable isn't far enough in, the the park lever will not move all the way down. It will also the buttons from moving fully. Just had this happen last week when I was fixing a park cable leak on my racecar. Been racing push button trans cars since the 90's. Had them apart 100's of times.
Doug

 

[Geff McCarthy]

Thanks to all! I loosened the button box and tried to diagnose the problem. So: With both cables attached, same problem. detach trans cable and all buttons and park work normally. Reverse: park disconnected, trans on;same problem. So, I think it is in the trans cable, or inside the transmission, no?

 

[Geff McCarthy]

The aluminum part is fully in as far as I can tell.

 

[Ron H]

Not understanding. Are you saying you detached the shifter cable from the VB? As mentioned, did you look at the cables? There might be just a cable adjustment necessary as Dave mentioned, or finding some damage there. Did you find leaving the park lever up, the car not locked in park, the buttons didn’t work freely as they should work freely? It sounds like the parking cable is out of adjustment or cable/lever is binding or the pawl is broken. Usually if the shifter cable is out of adjustment, selected gear is off or partly in another gear or position, like neutral may be still engaged in drive, etc.

 

[khryslerkid]

@Geff McCarthy
Here's some good info
Mopar Push-button transmission park cable tech tips

Mopar Push-button transmission tech tips

 

[dvw]

In my experience a button box has never failed me. 99% of the problems are a misadjusted of binding shift cable. You need to disasemble and ascertain if the cables are good. We can guess all we want. But you need to do some diagnosis.
Doug