Montero auto trans lever hard to shift/wont shift

This is our 2001 Montero Limited that my wife drives...  

I don't drive this car that often but an errand for today would be better with enclosed storage rather than the open (and wet) bed of my truck.  

The Montero started right away and easily.  When I went to put the car in reverse, the shift lever was very stiff and very hard to move, but, I got it into reverse.  I then would not move any further than neutral and not move to neutral easily.  

Where to start?  Not what I needed today with the Montero now block access to my truck too.  

Im here at the computer trying to find that FSM that I downloaded years ago when I got the Montero (which has really never needed anything.)  

I came back in and asked my wife if she's had trouble with shifting and the answer I got was, "I meant to tell you about that..."    She's a teacher and currently on a computer call session with kids.

First thing i would check is see if the cable is rusty down on the transmission.  Maybe some liberal application of a penetrant would help

In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :

I was already headed here.  Nothing found yet. 

The transmission end of the cable is generally the culprit.

I hope you have stayed on top of the drain and fill schedule for the transmission.  I have heard they last a ridiculously long time if you keep relatively fresh juice in there.  4 quarts is how much you use, if I remember right

No immediate answer before running out of time.   Doesn't leak anything.  No, I have never serviced the trans fluid, though there were no immediate concerns.  

I have had the Montero exactly 1 month shy of 3 years and in that time we have only added 15k miles to it going from 202k to 217k.

It is now very stiff to pull back from P.  I can get the car into R and then again, stiff and un-exact but I can get it to N also.  In no way can I get the car in D.  When going back forward with the lever, it takes some tries but eventually the car will recognize that it is in P.  

Sounds like it's been sitting a while, probably exacerbating the rusty end of the cable at the transmission. 

Just saying. 

Might be the shifter lockout solenoid that is weak not releasing the shifter completely. It's usually right in the shifter on the bottom or side of it. The brake lights need to work for it to come out of gear too. But seeing how you got in reverse that's probably not the problem. Maybe the brake switch has a separate circuit for the shifter lockout and it's bad. 

Just another anecdote that leads to a prejudice, this used to be common on certain Camrys.  The end of the cable would bind on the shift arm.  Ignored long enough, the clevis end of the cable would break off from being bent back and forth since it would no longer pivot.

Sounds cable-ey to me.

Did a sweet sticky Big Gulp get spilled into the shifter opening?

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Just another anecdote that leads to a prejudice, this used to be common on certain Camrys.  The end of the cable would bind on the shift arm.  Ignored long enough, the clevis end of the cable would break off from being bent back and forth since it would no longer pivot.

 

GRM's Pete, the artist formerly known as Knurled has saved the day!  

The description above is pretty much what happened.  I am attributing this car damage to being a victim of Covid.  Not that it came down with the flu but rather in a Pre-Covid world, my wife was daily driving the Montero.  Then, in Mid March, late in the winter, a winter of grime and road salt, my wife sudenly and abruptly stopped driving the car.  Then, next thing you know, in Mid May here I am writting that the stalk wont move.  

I have had a long time, regular shop work on my fleet.  In Feb the #1 mechanic quit leaving for better pay and conditions to work on fleet diesels.  A good job with big corp benefits.  At the same time the shop's #2 quit/retired (rather than work w/o #1.)  This made the #3 the new #1 and he is not qualified in my opinion to do oil changes w/o the oversight of the ole #1.  

So, without a preferred shop, I reached out to Pete.  His shop is 50 miles from me but I know that he has the insight and persistence to solve the problem.  He agree to to take on the job.  My AAA Plus will tow 100 miles and he is only 50.   

Towed away mid Weds. Diagnosed on Thurs and parts order.  Parts arrived Mon and work done late Tues.  My wife and I drove out to get it Weds.  All seems good on the 50 mile drive home.  

Entire cable from shift lever to trans replaced which also necessitated dropping the trans. 

I think I have only been in the physical presence of Pete one (maybe two) other times but I do remember that meeting him really solidified that "this guy knows his stuff."  I highly recommend Pete and his abilities.  Of course, that might not apply to awd Volvos. 

I hope you paid him with a giant bag of quarters. :D

In reply to irish44j (Forum Supporter) :

I get paid by direct deposit, how John paid the company is between them 

That bushing is supposed to be part of the cable, not the shift arm.

It was a righteous pain to get it adjusted, there is enough play in the shifter that adjusting the cable the "official" way meant it would not start in Park without a righteous slam forward.  So it was a matter of iterating it to where it would easily start in Park, but not think it was in Neutral when you were in Drive.  (The range position sensor may also be getting a little worn, too)