Saturn SL2 Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(146)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(146)

Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection Service

How much does a Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Saturn SL2 Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1998 Saturn SL2L4-1.9LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
1999 Saturn SL2L4-1.9LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1997 Saturn SL2L4-1.9LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2000 Saturn SL2L4-1.9LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
1994 Saturn SL2L4-1.9LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.02 - $112.55
1996 Saturn SL2L4-1.9LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1995 Saturn SL2L4-1.9LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$109.87 - $117.28
2002 Saturn SL2L4-1.9LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$110.24 - $117.94
Show example Saturn SL2 Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection prices

You start the car up, put your foot the brake, push the button on the shifter and it won’t shift out of park. What do you do now? Don’t force the shifter. Forcing the shifter out of park may cause more damage. The shifter is connected to the transmission in some cars mechanically or electronically. If an electrical or mechanical component has failed between the shifter and transmission, you won’t be able to shift the car out of park. A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to diagnose the problem with your vehicle. The mechanic will then provide an inspection report detailing the scope and cost of the necessary repairs

When to have your shifter inspected or replaced:

Have this system inspected only when a part in the shifter or part of the system that operates the transmission breaks] . There is no scheduled time frame for replacing parts in the shifting system. However, all parts can wear out and have the potential to fail, and in a perfect situation, all the parts in the shifting system would last the life of the vehicle.

Symptoms that may indicate your shifter will fail include:

  • Shifter can be moved but has a lot of resistance
  • When shifting into a gear, drive or reverse, it feels difficult to find the right spot. The transmission ends up in neutral instead. You may notice that the engine will accelerate when stepping on the gas pedal but the car doesn’t move.
  • When starting the car with the key, the ignition cylinder feels loose and has play.
  • No brake lights in the vehicle, brake pedal switch could be faulty.
  • Shifter feels completely loose -- like it’s not connected to the transmission at all.

How a mechanic will inspect a car that won’t shift from park:

There are a number of reasons why a car will not move from park to drive. They can range from the shifter being locked to a broken shifter cable. Mechanics will check for these things:

  • Failed brake light switch

  • Bad shift interlock solenoid or wiring: The shift interlock solenoid is a safety feature that has been added to all modern automatic-transmission cars. It prevents the driver from shifting out of park without a foot on the brake.

  • Broken transmission shift cable: A cable connects the shifter handle to the transmission, and if that is broken, the shifter will be inoperable

  • Ignition key tumbler is worn out: The ignition switch not only starts your car, but it also locks the steering wheel when the key is taken out. In cars with automatic transmissions, a shift interlock solenoid is also part of the ignition system, and it locks the transmission so it cannot be shifted out of park (as described above).

  • Broken shifter mechanism: It is also possible that the shifter itself is broken. A mechanic will remove the center console to examine the actual shifter mechanism.

Is it safe to drive with this problem?

Since you can’t move the car without shifting from park to drive, it’s important to enlist the help of one of our mechanics as soon as possible to inspect and then repair the issue.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Saturn mechanics

Real customer reviews from Saturn owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(146)

Rating Summary
134
8
1
2
1
134
8
1
2
1

Wesley

16 years of experience
277 reviews
Wesley
16 years of experience
Saturn SL2 L4-1.9L - Car does not shift from park to drive - Denver, Colorado
Wes was a very friendly and knowledgeable mechanic and all around great guy. Next time my car needs repairs he'll be the first person I call.

Nicholas

11 years of experience
586 reviews
Nicholas
11 years of experience
Saturn SL2 L4-1.9L - Car is not starting - Durham, North Carolina
Diagnosed and fixed car in less than an hour.

Rigoberto

11 years of experience
739 reviews
Rigoberto
11 years of experience
Saturn SL2 L4-1.9L - Coolant Temperature Switch (Sensor) - Elmhurst, Illinois
He got the job done.

Dustin

13 years of experience
41 reviews
Dustin
13 years of experience
Saturn SL2 L4-1.9L - Car is not starting - Clute, Texas
Diagnosed the problem and answered all my questions. Very nice and easy going. Highly recommended!

Excellent Rating

(146)

Rating Summary
134
8
1
2
1
134
8
1
2
1
Number of Saturn SL2 services completed
1606+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Saturn MECHANICS
700+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How to Buy a Good Quality Transmission
When When it comes to costly parts, the transmission is right up there among the most expensive. Because of that many people opt to purchase a used transmission, which is not usually the ideal route to take. Why is that?...
P0600 OBD-II Trouble Code: Serial Communication Link Malfunction
P0600 code definition The P0600 code is a diagnostic trouble code that points to a malfunction in the communication link of the...
P2401 OBD-II Trouble Code: EVAP Leak Detection Pump Control Circuit Low
P2401 P2401 trouble code definition P2401 is a OBD2 generic trouble code indicating a fault within the EVAP leak detection circuit. This code may be seen with other EVAP system codes. What the P2401 code means The P2401 trouble code...

How do I turn on the windshield wipers?

The windshield wipers are key safety features that dramatically increase visibility when it is raining. The windshield wipers have three settings: INT (intermittent), LO (low), and HI (high). To turn them on, pull down on the wiper lever, which is...

Blown gasket

The smell of gasoline in the coolant is a sure sign of an internal engine problem. It may be a bad head gasket or even a crack in the engine. This engine in particular is known for head gasket failures....

Battery draining and. Starter motor getting hot

You need to have the battery cables checked to see if they are bad by doing a voltage drop test. If one or both of the cables are bad, it will overheat the starter and not recharge the battery sufficiently....

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com