New Q45 wont go down into 2nd or 1st

[Sitting_Duck]

hey all I just got my first Q45. Ita a 1990 with 129,000 on it. Everything seems fine except when I try to move the shifter down into 2nd or 1st, it seems as if theres some kinda block on it. Anby ideas? Other than this problem the car is an absolute wonder. I love it better than any car ive owned. THx

[pretzelboy]

Just to let you know.....mine works great and when I put her in 1st and romp.........she flys.....good for a few giggles......hope that helps.

[Sitting_Duck]

yes i wish i was able to do that,,your not helping lol

[Jesda]

Exactly when are you moving the shifter? Highway? Park?

[Sitting_Duck]

im moving it when im going from park into drive,, then trying to get it down to 2nd or 1st it just wont budge, other than that the transmission shifts fine, but itd be nice to be able to take it down manually

[qship96]

its the infiniti gods saving the transmission from an early death due to hard driving

[gniknave]

Pretty weird. Do you know if anything was done to the car where the plastic cladding around the shifter would have been removed? Maybe theres a coin or something stuck in that area causing it not to move.

Also, if you just got the car, make sure to do a transmission flush, get a transmission cooler, and get the chain guides done. Those things almost guarantee your car will see 250k+ as long as you do regular maintenance.

[SOCAL91Q45a]

My car just developed this problem as well.

Whats that SHIFT Lock button do?

Ive also noticed a "clicking" sound in the Auto Shifter area, with car running when applying brake pedal w/ car in PARK. Applying brakes like you must in order to shift from park to Drive or 1,2,3. We have had the trans out with the motor recently - so - Im thinking - linkage issue. However; it didnt have this issue 5 days ago.

Will investigate further on the lift.

[SOCAL91Q45a]

I found this thread :

zer...age=2

MAY I ASK AN OFF-TOPIC QUESTION?

I should, I guess, ask this non-brake issue in a new thread, but, I'm perplexed about how it's related to yesterday's brake job. For about two years now the automatic transmission shift interlock has been 'broken' in that I could not get the Q45 out of park without pressing both the button on the shift selector lever and the override switch (called the "shift lock release" on the diagram on page AT-99 of the '90 FSM).

Miraculously, in my ride to work this morning, the shift-lock problem fixed itself!Now, When I stepped on the brake in preparation to start Q'sey, I hearrd a distinct click (which I don't remember hearing before); this click happens each time I step on the brake with the shift lever in park. This unexpected wondrous event somehow frees up the transmission lever so that I can now shift into drive once the Q starts, without having to press both buttons anymore. Come to think of it, I just had an epiphany. The need to press the shift lock release might just have started at about the time of my last mechanic's brake job, about two years ago.

QUESTION: What specifically did I do in my basic front brake job that somehow fixed this long-standing problem?

further .....

Quote »Maybe all of those stop-n-go's for the brake bedding worked something loose.

I should have made it more clear that as soon as I sat in Q'sie for the first time after replacing both front pads, that the new clicking sound was heard as I stepped on the brake pedal while the engine was idling with the transmission in Park.

The clicking is clearly related to the brake pedal being pressed (as it clicks each time I press the brake pedal & release while the engine is idling with the transmission in Park). The click is clearly coming from underneath where the shift-lever resides (that is, just above the transmission). I can even feel a slight vibration with my hand as it clicks.

So, it wasn't the brake-burnishing procedure which 'fixed' the broken lock-out switch. Perhaps just jacking the two-ton Q in the air did the trick (although I've jacked it up before). Or, maybe there's some connection between the front right wear sensor circuitry that was re-attached (somehow).

The photo below shows me removing the lower caliper pin on the backside of the passenger front calipers (I always have to step on the wrenches or bang them with a hammer to break the bolts loose). Notice there is a connector coming off the brake sensor which fits into a unit (tucked off to the lower right in this midnight-flash photo) about the size of a jar of nail polish. What do you suppose is inside that 'jar of nail polish"? I suspect there's more to it than just wires as the object is larger than it would need to be if it were merely a waterproof shockproof connector.

Q: Do you suppose this obvious electrical connection has any link to the transmission brake-related override switch?

[SOCAL91Q45a]

ANY thoughts folks???

[96Qowner]

Only just a thought, SoCal. All three examples seem to have occurred after the shift lock had not been working for quite some time. Suppose the mechanical part got gummy, or a spring got weak, etc, so that when it starts working again, it doesn't entirely disengage - sticks "halfway". Dunno, just a thought.

[CrimsonQ]

im still needin any help on this shift issue! HELP ME PLEASE!!!

[elwesso]

Crimson you may just try pressing the shift lock button to see if thats the problem......

The shift lock bypass button just to the right of the shifter.....

[DAEDALUS]

im still needin any help on this shift issue! HELP ME PLEASE!!!

What shift issue? You've only posted once in this thread.

[CrimsonQ]

What shift issue? You've only posted once in this thread.

i waas the original poster, forgot my password and stuff so had to re-register.

ok i checked the shift lock button, it just flops around hitting nothing, so i took off as much as the console and dash i could get too, and i see the rod under the shift lock button is hitting absolutely nothing when i press it. i see 4 screws holding the shifter unit in place, but cant figure out how to get to them. i just want to feel this car take off in first without a delay

[CrimsonQ]

any ideas Q45Tech? Anyone? (on the shift lock issue)