hello. im new here, but could really use some help. im about to go buy a 93 that up until today ran perfect. the guy said that he had a battery issue and replaced the battery and took it to a car lot to sell. the dealership said the battery died again on it 4 days after a guy test drove it. today they tried to crank it, they said it turns over but wont start, and it is stuck in park, meaning that the shifter will not unlock to go to neutral. any ideas?? thanks

 

Don't believe a single word the dealer tells you.

It could be many things, check the plugs first. Do these have a hidden switch somewhere to take them out of park without the key on?

 

thanks not sure about the button. the car is 3 hours away, so im kinda scared to make that drive for a car that wont start.

 

I think there is a key hole near the shifter but im not 100% sure. Haven't seen it in a while.

 

Im sure its a battery related problem and the shifter wont move because there is no current to the. The battery needs to be charged and checked for a draw in the system if it just keeps dying. It could be as simple as a glove box lamp staying on when the car is sitting.

 

well if thats the case, you would think that the people at the car lot could figure that one out.... probably not though. i guess im gonna take a road trip in a minute and go check it out myself. i already took the day off and have a trailer hooked to our dually. thanks for your help. could it possibly be the battery is to weak to start it. im not very familiar with these engines but on our power stroke the battery has to have a good charge or it wont crank, it just sits and turns over till it eventually dies, it still doesnt explain the stuck in park problem though. this car just received a new automatic transmission and wiring harness 2000 miles ago. it's probably an electrical issue.

 

thanks, thats what im hoping. it has alot of aftermarket stereo stuff in it, so the battery is probably weak.

 

thanks for the help guys. the main fuse was blown. i assume from jumping it off. they had it replaced yesterday when i arrived there, now the only problem it seems to have is the tach and speedo, only work when they feel like it. i guess i will search some old threads to see if this is common. thanks

 

Resurrecting this thread to ask a question . . . . . .

My RX7 starts but the shifter won't come out of park and the tachs don't light up or give any stats I've replaced the 120a Main fuse. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

it's pretty easy to get them out of park. there's a white tab-ish, piston mechanism on the driver's side of the gear shifter. If you take off the main gear shift shroud, you should be able to see/feel it at the 7 o'clock position under the PRNDD1D2 shroud. Pull the piston towards the rear of the car. It will allow you to move the gear selecter.

Look at K-168 of the manual. It's the item labeled #8.



NO idea about the dash. Probably something else is wrong; however, it sounds electrical to me...

 

Ok, here's the scoop. There is a little cover just in front of the P for park. Pry it up and take a regular sized phillips screwdriver and push it straight down. After it's pushed down hold it there and pull the shift lever back to neutral. The car will start there, but you won't get that automatic high rpm rise when you start the car in park. After you let up on the screw driver it will lock back again in park if you push it back up there. It can be disabled pretty easy as explain above.

Terry7

 

I can start the car in park but i can't get the car out of park once its started I know where the shift release thing is and that's how i've been able to drive it (just to start it up every week or so).

What can i do to gain normal functionality of my shifter? Does my gauges going out have something to do with it? Where do i start looking?

Thanks.

 

The automatic shifter will not go out of the park if it does not think you are on the brake pedal. Check the connects from the sensor behind the brake pedal i think there is a red button that goes up and down. Follow that and you might be able to find your problem.

 

I doubt the gauge problems are related. Pull the cover and take the lock solenoid out or disconnect it untill you can find the electrical problem. I suspect the solenoid is not getting power. EfiniR11 has the best idea so far check your switch and make sure it works with a meter. I think there are two switches if you have an automatic it only came in touring models with cruise control I think. could be wrong on that one though.