[nelgrenrut]

I own a 1998 Sable. Whenever the weather turns cold, I have to wait for the cars interior to warm up, before the floor shifter will shift out of park. I understand how the mechanism works, when you push down on the brake pedal to shift, as I have a spare floor shifter from a parks car. I would like to disable the shifter lock cable so I can shift the car anytime. I realize it is a safety issue, but I have always shifted out of park with my foot on the brake pedal, long before they invented this safety feature. I am leary about how to tear my floor console apart. It's cold up here in Canada now, and it I start prying with a screwdriver, I'm sure plastic will be breaking apart everywhere. Anyone, know how disassemble the console so I can access the brake release safety cable? Thanks!

 

[nytaurusabuser]

Not to dismiss your ideas, but when it won't shift out of park, do your brake lights come on when you apply the brakes? just thinking it might be a simple problem with the cheapo brake switch...

 

[danhasenauer]

Not to dismiss your ideas, but when it won't shift out of park, do your brake lights come on when you apply the brakes? just thinking it might be a simple problem with the cheapo brake switch...

+1^^^ for the switch @ the pedal...

 

[Jeff K]

^^^^ +2

By far the most common cause of "cant shift out of park" is no brake light power feed, usually due to bad brake switch or the wires that go to the switch broken due to the flexing every time you step on the brake.

 

[nelgrenrut]

Yes, the brake lights come on when I apply the brakes. It seems almost as if the cable release mechanism is slow moving because of the cold. The shifter works fine in warm weather, so I am entertaining the idea of disconnecting the shift lock cable mechanism on the floor shifter. Still need to know the easy way to access the shifter without destroying the plastic console.

 

[nelgrenrut]

I guess I've answered this problem myself. If anyone has to remove their floor console, just lift up the center console lid. And then starting by the cup holder, pry both sides of the plastic console base. It will pop right up. The rear section has to be removed first. Now the front section, complete with ashtray, can be removed by prying with a screwdriver along both sides of the ashtray. You can now access the shifter base, and might want to do what I did, and that was "I disconnected the shift lock cable from the plastic locking mechanism", which makes you which used to make someone apply your foot on the brake, before shifting out of park." Problem resloved!!.....and anyone with half a brain.....knows they should put their foot on the brake pedal before shifting, so there is no safety concern with most people.

 

[sfhess]

no, no, no. You're supposed to hit it with a big hammer. Works on most everything else judging by many posts on this forum.




(Just kidding)

 

[sheila]

Bfh! Ftw!

 

[danhasenauer]

+1^ Make sure you use a Metric BFH....:smash: