Won't start in PARK, only Neutral ??? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

sactoC10 · 01-04-2005, 11:43 PM

OK, so as noted...truck was having some serious attitude with me today. Got in it, turned key, no clicking, but everything electrical worked (radio, lights, wipers, etc...), jiggled the auto shifter, tried again...nothing.

Thought it felt like it should work since I have not had any charging problems, didn't seem like the battery was dead. For the heck of it, I tried it in Neutral and it started right up. Repeated this a few times, no problem in Neutral, no starting in Park.

What is the deal with that and NOW WHAT DO I DO?

neonlarry · 01-04-2005, 11:53 PM

Sounds to me like your neutral safety switch might be out of adjustment.

Purs · 01-04-2005, 11:55 PM

what he said....

jhow66 · 01-04-2005, 11:55 PM

Adjust netural safety switch on steering column.(put shifter in park and slide switch toward pass. side until it will start in park.

Longhorn Man · 01-05-2005, 12:38 AM

The contacts in the switch could be burned up too. Not a very common problem, but it could be.

stllookn · 01-05-2005, 03:59 AM

Don't bypass it like I did to mine. Because some day you will forget...leave it in drive get under the hood...start it remotely and then have to chase it around the yard trying to get in and turn it off before disaster strikes...LOL! I wish I had video of some of those stupid stunts!!!!!

lofly'a · 01-05-2005, 04:09 AM

i've done that before too stlookn, and you've gooten some very knowledgable and sound advice here sactoC10

sactoC10 · 01-05-2005, 11:29 AM

OK, maybe explain this to me with one or two more details... Where is this switch, under the column? Pull it, push it? Makes sense, but I've not done this before.

Yes, good input from this board indeed and no I don't want to be chasing it anywhere if I can help it!

spencra · 01-05-2005, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stllookn

Don't bypass it like I did to mine. Because some day you will forget...leave it in drive get under the hood...start it remotely and then have to chase it around the yard trying to get in and turn it off before disaster strikes...LOL! I wish I had video of some of those stupid stunts!!!!!

That happened to me when I was about 19. I was a tech working at a Goodyear. I pulled this old Nova into one of the bays, put it in park with the car running. I walked away from it and all of a sudden one of the mechanics was like "Hey Larry, your car's taking off!". That damn thing slipped into reverse and took off out of the garage. I'll tell you I never ran so fast in my life. I caught up to it opened the door, jumped in, and slammed on the brakes just before it was about to hit a row of cars.

. I look back on that one every now and then and just laugh my butt off.

stllookn · 01-05-2005, 11:57 AM

spencra, Good one! The first time it happened to me (only twice now...thank goodness) I was working on a used Dodge van I had just purchased trying to figure out why the it would not move in any gear (very dirty tranny filter). I was by myself, left it in gear (accidently) and walked in front of it, opened the hood and then went to my tool box. As I turned around I saw it lurch forward and smack the work bench denting the hood. I've got to tell you that I quit working for the evening because that was a very close call and made me become a much more cautious mechanic.

jhow66 · 01-05-2005, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sactoC10

OK, maybe explain this to me with one or two more details... Where is this switch, under the column? Pull it, push it? Makes sense, but I've not done this before.

Yes, good input from this baord indeed and no I don't want to be chasing it anywhere if I can help it!

Switch is under dash on top of column. There are 2 small screws that hold switch to column. Lossen only enough so that switch will move. Then do as I said in 1st post. (switch will have 2 connections on it-one for start (purple wires) and one for backup lights (green wires) )

sactoC10 · 01-05-2005, 02:08 PM

great and thanks... I'll check back later tonight after taking a peek at this

01-04-2005, 11:43 PM	#1
sactoC10 71 DELUX Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern CA / Sac Posts: 1,055	Won't start in PARK, only Neutral ??? OK, so as noted...truck was having some serious attitude with me today. Got in it, turned key, no clicking, but everything electrical worked (radio, lights, wipers, etc...), jiggled the auto shifter, tried again...nothing. Thought it felt like it should work since I have not had any charging problems, didn't seem like the battery was dead. For the heck of it, I tried it in Neutral and it started right up. Repeated this a few times, no problem in Neutral, no starting in Park. What is the deal with that and NOW WHAT DO I DO? __________________ 5/4 drop LWB wood bed - 15x8 front 235/60 - 15x10 rear 295/50 2003 FORD Escape 1998 Honda VTR1000

01-04-2005, 11:53 PM	#2
neonlarry Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Vacaville, CA Posts: 2,745	Sounds to me like your neutral safety switch might be out of adjustment. __________________ 70 C/10 Light Red 350/TH350, HEI, Duals w/40 series Flows, 91 seat, LED taillights 99 Pontiac S/C GTP, SLP Ram Air hood, GMPP Konis & springs 95 Neon ACR, MP PCM, AFX UDP, 3.0 CAI

01-04-2005, 11:55 PM	#3
Purs Got Big Block? Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: West Texas Posts: 1,510	what he said.... __________________ "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted."

01-04-2005, 11:55 PM	#4
jhow66 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Knoxville Tenn. Posts: 3,058	Adjust netural safety switch on steering column.(put shifter in park and slide switch toward pass. side until it will start in park. __________________ 56 Chevy Bel-Air 2dr. HT (purchased new) 71 Chevy Cheyenne SWB PU (502HO) 65 GMC short bed step--work in progress and my gofer

01-05-2005, 03:59 AM	#6
stllookn Saving 1 truck at a time! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Kent, WA Posts: 6,465	Don't bypass it like I did to mine. Because some day you will forget...leave it in drive get under the hood...start it remotely and then have to chase it around the yard trying to get in and turn it off before disaster strikes...LOL! I wish I had video of some of those stupid stunts!!!!! __________________ '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 400/TH400 '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 468/TH400w/buckets '72 C20 Halfhorn (Longhorn w/o cab and front clip) '69 Flxible Cruiser (look up ugly in the dictionary)

01-05-2005, 12:38 AM	#5
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	The contacts in the switch could be burned up too. Not a very common problem, but it could be.

01-05-2005, 04:09 AM	#7
lofly'a Registered User Join Date: May 2000 Location: Alexandria, LA 71301 Posts: 1,451	i've done that before too stlookn, and you've gooten some very knowledgable and sound advice here sactoC10 __________________ -02 avalanche (daily driver) -66 gto ragtop 389/400 (garage queen, hand-me-down from dad) -72 Tribute Trans Am (6.0LS/T56 6-speed) in progress -2003 YUKON (Wife's) -71 gmc swb fleet (current project, gonna shave everything, bags, stuff w/ 20's, gen III powertrain) -48 3100 SWB - 12/31/23 LONG TERM Project

01-05-2005, 11:29 AM	#8
sactoC10 71 DELUX Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern CA / Sac Posts: 1,055	back to jhow66/neonlarry... OK, maybe explain this to me with one or two more details... Where is this switch, under the column? Pull it, push it? Makes sense, but I've not done this before. Yes, good input from this board indeed and no I don't want to be chasing it anywhere if I can help it! __________________ 5/4 drop LWB wood bed - 15x8 front 235/60 - 15x10 rear 295/50 2003 FORD Escape 1998 Honda VTR1000 Last edited by sactoC10; 01-05-2005 at 02:08 PM.

01-05-2005, 11:57 AM	#10
stllookn Saving 1 truck at a time! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Kent, WA Posts: 6,465	spencra, Good one! The first time it happened to me (only twice now...thank goodness) I was working on a used Dodge van I had just purchased trying to figure out why the it would not move in any gear (very dirty tranny filter). I was by myself, left it in gear (accidently) and walked in front of it, opened the hood and then went to my tool box. As I turned around I saw it lurch forward and smack the work bench denting the hood. I've got to tell you that I quit working for the evening because that was a very close call and made me become a much more cautious mechanic. __________________ '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 400/TH400 '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 468/TH400w/buckets '72 C20 Halfhorn (Longhorn w/o cab and front clip) '69 Flxible Cruiser (look up ugly in the dictionary)

01-05-2005, 02:08 PM	#12
sactoC10 71 DELUX Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern CA / Sac Posts: 1,055	great and thanks... I'll check back later tonight after taking a peek at this __________________ 5/4 drop LWB wood bed - 15x8 front 235/60 - 15x10 rear 295/50 2003 FORD Escape 1998 Honda VTR1000

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