Q: Shift lock button releases stuck gear, but re-sticks

asked by on August 04, 2016

My car was driving just fine earlier today and then the gear stuck in Park. The brake lights aren’t working but I didn’t find a blown fuse. I was able to finally get it out of Park by using the shift lock button. It still locks up, but at least I can use that solution in between it’s sticking in Park. I can do minor car repairs and I’m hoping this is something that I can fix myself. What do I need to do to fix this permanently?

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Hello. It sounds like you may just have a bad brake switch on the brake pedal. Both the brake lights and the shift lock use this switch. I usually remove the switch and test it with an ohm meter, but this does sound like the problem. If you want to verify that this is the issue, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose your shifting issue and replace your brake switch if needed.

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