Auto transmission locks shifter movement

[slovett99]

Hi. I have a 1999 Acura Integra, 2 door, 4 cylinder, with auto transmission. It's got under 100000 miles so it's worth maintaining. When the temps get cold, like 10 degrees, it has developed a new issue. I park in parking decks, the spaces are always slanted. When I start up and back out, everything works fine initially. I shift into drive and notice no issues during my commute. However, if I shift into reverse but notice a car coming so I shift to park, I can no longer put it back in any gear but reverse is the selection I am trying to move the lever into. It's like a mechanical block almost. I can move the lever slightly and the P light goes out, but the lever stops. I don't have my foot on the gas and noticed the engine rev changes when trying to move from park, but I think that's normal when you have the brake on and going into a gear. The shift button will not go in so obviously I can't move the lever to go into reverse. I mentioned the angle since I thought there might be a sensor that is preventing shifting, but why would it work fine initially but stop if I go into park? It never does it when I got from drive to reverse or vise versa. And it's only happened a few times in 25 years and only when the weather is cold.

 

[slovett99]

Hi. I have a 1999 Acura Integra, 2 door, 4 cylinder, with auto transmission. It's got under 100000 miles so it's worth maintaining. When the temps get cold, like 10 degrees, it has developed a new issue. I park in parking decks, the spaces are always slanted. When I start up and back out, everything works fine initially. I shift into drive and notice no issues during my commute. However, if I shift into reverse but notice a car coming so I shift to park, I can no longer put it back in any gear but reverse is the selection I am trying to move the lever into. It's like a mechanical block almost. I can move the lever slightly and the P light goes out, but the lever stops. I don't have my foot on the gas and noticed the engine rev changes when trying to move from park, but I think that's normal when you have the brake on and going into a gear. The shift button will not go in so obviously I can't move the lever to go into reverse. I mentioned the angle since I thought there might be a sensor that is preventing shifting, but why would it work fine initially but stop if I go into park? It never does it when I got from drive to reverse or vise versa. And it's only happened a few times in 25 years and only when the weather is cold.

I think I figured this out. When I had the issue, I happened to be somewhere that had a reflection behind me. The reverse worked fine, so I parked and tried it again. This time it was locked. Then I noticed on the reflection that my brake lights were not on the second time. I let go of the brake and then hit the brake pedal harder, lights came on, shifter worked. I tried again slower, no brake lights, shifter locked. The car is fine. It's user error. I am very careful with the car and braking so the signal might have dust, or might need an adjustment, or might need tightened, but whenever it happens I just release the brake and hit them harder, works every time. Switch was replaced 6 years ago, but nothing lasts forever, might need to be replaced again.