Dang truck!!!! Help!!!

[Ruger Packer]

Wife got home from her weekly coffee with her sister and their friends. Parked our '02 Trailblazer in the driveway. I go out a bit later to run an errand and the dang truck is stuck in PARK. Can't get the shifter to budge out of PARK. It starts fine. :?

I've NEVER had this happen before with any vehicle I've owned.

What's the problem here???

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Aqualung]

Are you parked on a slope that may have allowed the truck to drift back against the gears?

That's be my only guess.

Aqualung

 

[Ruger Packer]

Are you parked on a slope that may have allowed the truck to drift back against the gears?

That's be my only guess.

Aqualung

No. My drive way and her sister's drive way are flat.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Isn't there an interlock with the brake pedal? Stomp on the brake pedal a couple of times and then hold it down while trying to shift.

 

[GRAMPS 51]

Jimbo has the right idea

Gramps

 

[Poco Oso]

Will the key turn in the ignition? Sometimes, on my Explorer, the steering wheel will be up against the ignition interlock. That locks up the transmission and the ignition. Wiggling the wheel side to side,while gently turning the key, moves it off the interlock. It really baffled me the first time it happened.

 

[bogus bill]

A year ago I was in another town, couldn't get my Avalon to get the steering wheel to unlock. Called AAA, he "fixed" it in a second! The position it was in I just didn't use enough pressure to twist the steering wheel to one side to unlock it.
I was embarrassed, I had only owned that car sixteen years. The tow driver wasn't going to charge anything of course we tipped him well. This high tech stuff sometimes isn't worth it. It also was stuck in park because the steering wheel hadn't disengaged.

 

[Dave P.]

I helped a neighbor with that issue and it was a loose wire connection
on the interlock solenoid on the shifter.
Turn the key to the run position and turn off anything in the
car that makes noise, step on the brake and listen for the solenoid
on the shifter to click...might have to get your ear right down near it.
You'll have to open up the shift console to get to it, if no click get
a 12 volt meter and check for power to it....I think is was supplied
via a brake switch but don't remember colors etc.
Dave

 

[hittman]

Wonder if the shift linkage is bent.

My wife did that once ..... actually jammed the vehicle into park before coming to a complete stop.

That's assuming it has a shift linkage like my old car did ..... I'm not a mechanic so this info is worth exactly what you've just paid for it.

 

[coach]

My Toyota and other cars I've had has a little pop out on the console to deactivate the brake lockout. If the brake light switch fails you can't shift out of park. See your owners manual

 

[Dan in MI]

If it is not a bound up steering wheel, which doesn't sound like, I'd guess the interlock as mentioned. (Yet another fine Federal safety device) If you have the owner's manual look it up. There is supposed to be some type of manual override/release in case the system loses power or breaks.

 

[powder smoke]

Jimbo has the right idea

Gramps

Agreed! ps

 

[eveled]

https://youtu.be/W-t44SdNKSg

Lots of videos on you tube that might help.

 

[blume357]

I vote brake pedal or the safety feature connected to it.... back in the 90s rented a car and drove to Memphis... got in it to take some friends out and could not get it out of park... one of the guys finally asked if I had my foot on the brake .... I guess all the way there I had been doing it when starting and taking off .... did not realize these new fangled vehicles had that safety feature....

If it was an older vehicle and a straight drive I would have suggested jacking up the back end.

 

[Kanook]

When my wife's 04 Envoy did the same thing it had something to do with the transmission linkage cable. Take a look at you tube it will show how to fix it, or at least test it out to make sure what it is.

Sidenote, when my 95 Sierra did the same thing it was the linkage cable and was a $30 part and I did it in my driveway

 

[Jimbo357mag]

If it has a floor or console shifter there might be a red button under the rubber boot to remove the lock.

 

[Acorn]

My Dad had the same issue on his pickup. He had a cap installed and the wire to the high mount brake line got pinched and popped the brake light fuse which also controlled the safety interlock for the gear shift.

 

[Bull Barrel]

Will the key turn in the ignition? Sometimes, on my Explorer, the steering wheel will be up against the ignition interlock. That locks up the transmission and the ignition. Wiggling the wheel side to side,while gently turning the key, moves it off the interlock. It really baffled me the first time it happened.

Ahem...the OP said it starts!
Jimbo has solution #1. Others mentioned the interlock bypass. You may try rocking the vehicle and then trying it.

 

[InjunBro]

Check the fuses.

 

[Rook]

I had a brain fart one time and forgot to put my foot on the brake to start a rental car. I sat there for a couple of minutes like a moron trying to figure out what was wrong and then DUH it dawned on me. Put my foot on the brake and it fired right up and went into gear.