Car slipping out of Park. Diagnostic Help Please?

Plymouth71 · Sep 11, 2021

My son and daughter were playing in my car when one of them jostled the steering column gear shift. It popped out of Park and started rolling down the driveway backwards. Thankfully my Son slammed on the brakes when I yelled at him otherwise the car would have been nesting in the trunk of the Tree across the street.

I was stunned. I pulled the car back onto the driveway and initially it would still move with the shifter in park. Jiggling it, I was able to get it to catch, but jostling it again it came out of Park again.

I'm not familiar enough with repairing the transmission to know what to look for/adjust or replace.

Can I get some suggestions on how to proceed please?

bigbluedodge · Sep 11, 2021

Maybe your shift linkage isn't getting the trans all the way into park.
Bry

steve340 · Sep 11, 2021

The park pawl is only a tiny bit of steel. If you see one you would not trust the whole weight of a car on it.
If it comes out of park easily it may be adjustment or the park pawl has been damaged in the past.
I suggest you start using the park brake.

Slap Stick · Sep 11, 2021

What to do? Use the parking brake.

440 PHIXX · Sep 11, 2021

In the meantime... get a set of those plastic wheel chocks, for when you park if your parking brake isn’t working.

diesel_lv · Sep 11, 2021

Had my transmission rebuilt and tailshaft replaced for Gearvendor. They forgot to put parking pawl back in. It wouldn't engage any gear, would just roll. Thankfully parking brake worked. Recommend crawling underneath n readjusting the shift linkage in park.

69a100 · Sep 11, 2021

bigbluedodge said:
Maybe your shift linkage isn't getting the trans all the way into park.
Bry

What happens when you put a little authority behind the shifter when putting it in park, what happens there? That would answer the question above. Good Luck

Curiousyellow71 · Sep 11, 2021

It sounds like your linkage needs adjusted.. There should be a bolt that clamps down on the shift rod that you can adjust. Take the jam nut/bolt loose then put the shift lever in park with it loose. Then tighten it back up. Not sure if this is what linkage you have but this picture you can see the adjuster in the picture.

Car slipping out of Park. Diagnostic Help Please?

Plymouth71

Waterslide Decal Artist

bigbluedodge

Well-Known Member

steve340

Well-Known Member

Slap Stick

Well-Known Member

440 PHIXX

The Island of Misfit Mopars

diesel_lv

Well-Known Member

69a100

Well-Known Member

Curiousyellow71

FBBO Gold Member

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