STUCK IN PARK

[04LEMASS]

My 04 pathfinder gets stuck in park and the only way to shift into drive is to stick a key in the shift lock. Its been like that for about a month and its starting to get really anoying and i havnt had a chance to bring it in. Anyone know what the problem might be?

[Towncivilian]

Welcome to NICO.

Is your battery charge low? A failing battery can cause the inability to shift out of park. Do the stop lights work? Do you hear a click that comes from around the steering column when you press the brake pedal?

[04LEMASS]

I dont think my battery charge is low because ive had to problem for a month now and the batterys still good not sure though. I do here a click when i touch the brakes and my brake lights are functioning. Could it be the shift solenoid?

[Towncivilian]

There is a relay next to the shifter assembly. Remove the surrounding trim by removing the ashtray, then the single screw at the bottom of that, and then carefully prying off the trim. Rotate it so you can lift out off around the shift knob, then you should have access to the area. Make sure the relay is clicking when you depress and release the brake pedal and also ensure the shift lock solenoid linkage is moving when you do so.

[04LEMASS]

Alright ill check that tomorrow, i have a 2004 so the ashtray is under the stereo not next to the shifter, do you know where the screw would be then? Thank you for the help

[Towncivilian]

Sorry, I'm not quite sure. There might not even be any screws according to page BT-29 of the factory service manual.

Oh, by the way, if you haven't yet, download a copy of the FSM. To save a copy of the FSM, right click -> Save As on every PDF, save them into a single folder, then use fwd.pdf to navigate.

[04LEMASS]

Thank you thats very helpful

[miamiheat3332]

One time i hooked up a trailer and their had to be something faulty but my brake light fuse went and same thing happend not being able to shift out. Figured it out fairly quick, but posting this as a reference for anyone who might run into the same thing.

[Towncivilian]

Yep, the owner's manual states that if you can't shift out of park, this can sometimes be caused by the stop lights failing to function (i.e. blown fuse or malfunctioning stop light switch). In this case, the OP verified the functionality of the stop lights.

I've seen R50s with only the center high mounted stop light working, or just one of the side brake lights working. I never had a chance to tell the driver, but it's usually some woman on a cell phone who couldn't care less anyway.

[Benster]

I have the same model as,04LEMASS. The ashtray is under the stereo not next to the shifter, in my 2004. Still haven't figured out how to get to the shifter assembly. I looked at the BT 29 diagram, but it appears to me that it is showing the ash tray behind the shifter.

[Pathfinder3.5]

This happened to my pathy the week after we sold it. Since it got sold through my dealer, they fixed it. I will find out how tomorrow when I go into work. All I know is that it took a piece of paper folded several times and was shoved somewhere.

[04LEMASS]

I actually ended up getting this fixed by my mechanic for like 20 dollars. He popped the panel off and replaced the shift lock

[Benster]

I think I know where to put the folded piece of paper would go, but still haven't a clue about getting the shifter panel off to expose the parts.

[Towncivilian]

Post a picture of your center console area around the shifter.

[Benster]

FIXED IT!!!!! Wow, kind of unbelievable. I was trying to remove the console box, (turned out there was no need to remover it)and in the process was fiddling around with the console finisher, and all of a sudden it popped up and out! Then I just had to figure out how to "prop" open the, I guess you would call, lever, the part that you hit when you put a screwdriver into the little hole to manually unlock the shifter. I ended up sawing an 1 1/2" piece off the thick part of a TOOTHBRUSH and stuck in there to prop open the lever. DONE!! My thanks to all, but especially 04LEMASS. At first I couldn't believe that a mechanic would only charge $20. We had estimates anywhere from $120 to $600!!!!! Now I understand what he did! I'd keep that mechanic!!

[Benster]

Well, that fix didn't last. I do however, now know how to take the console off, but not sure which parts to replace, the shifter, brake pedal solenoid, or relay?

[Benster]

OK, so the temporary fix didn't hold (propping open the manual shift unlock mechanism). There is no "click" when I tap the brake pedal (as there is in our other Pathfinder that works) and the brake lights work, so I am thinking of replacing the relay first, and if that doesn't work, then replacing the entire mechanism with the solenoid in the center. The problem is, when I look up the diagram for my 2004, I don't SEE any relay, just the solenoid and assembly. Is there a relay in the 2004 LE or just the solenoid and assembly?

Thanks!

[Towncivilian]

Based on the wiring diagram for the shift lock system, the relay was eliminated in the system, apparently due to differences in how the stop lamp switch works between the years (though I may be wrong).

Have you tried following the diagnosis procedure beginning on page AT-264?

[Bills]

Hello,

Today I decided to try and fix my 2004 Pathfinder, I have been using the screwdriver to shift for about a year now.

I pulled and tested the solenoid, which does work outside of the system. I checked the wiring with a multimeter. The white wire is being grounded when I press on the brake, but there is no voltage on the other wire, or the other wire that goes to the little switch. I checked all of the fuses and relays that seemed to be relevant, next to the steering column and under the hood in the two separate boxes. But I cant find any bad component. One thread said that the relay was under the console, so I pulled the console, there is no relay, only the airbag sensors.

Any ideas?

The link in the last post seems promising, but it appears to be dead. I have not seen any wiring diagrams for this.

Thanks,
Bill

[Bills]

I was finally able to get the link to work: AT_page_264. It was being picky about the "p" vs "P".

Having looked at the wiring diagram, I was able to find the problem. It was an intermittent park switch. This was very difficult to find, since the switch would connect when you press it with your finger, but if you press it too hard it will disconnect again. The guys at the local autozone had no idea what I was taking about when I asked for this switch. Since the switch is soldered in place I figure it might only be sold as part of the solenoid assembly from a dealer. But I found a matching switch for only $1.89: SS-5GL13. Other variants of GL13 should work as well, this is a fairly standard switch. I'm going to order one and see how it works.

[G8rDuc]

Whatever happened with this, Bills?

[docflaco]

posted as a new topic

[asnorton44]

3. Replaced the Shift Lock Solenoid Assembly

Did you have any issues doing so? I have a new shift lock solenoid (minus the cables, just the mechanism) that I need to install.

[docflaco]

It was not very difficult and only took about 15-30 minutes, but unfortunately it did not solve my problems.

[asnorton44]

It was not very difficult and only took about 15-30 minutes, but unfortunately it did not solve my problems.

Good luck to you in fixing your problem; you could also rig it to be unlocked at all times as shown in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itn-Qv7E9f4