Car won’t change gears when I stop and try to put car in Park. It won’t go until I remove the key.

Car starts OK but won't change gear when I stop car won't come out of gear until I remove key

My car has 144000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. Check the shifter lock solenoid in the shifter housing. The lock solenoid may have an issue as the ignition key is on. I recommend replacing the shifter lock solenoid. Also, I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you diagnose your lock solenoid in your shifter if your vehicle still continues to not going in into park after replacing the shifter lock solenoid.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

Why the Transmission Won`t Shift Gears. One reason why an automatic transmission isn`t shifting into gear has to do with the fluid. If it`s not at the right level or the incorrect type has been used, then it`ll affect the gears. Another big reason has to do with the ECM possibly going bad.
Delay in shifting gears

This can be caused by things such as low transmission fluid, a damaged shifting cable, or a worn clutch. If you notice a delay in shifting gears, it is important to bring your car in for repairs quickly, as it can be a dangerous symptom to drive with.

In most cases, this issue is caused by a damaged shift solenoid or perhaps an obstruction of debris inside the transmission hydraulic lines. It could also be caused by damaged inside the transmission…
Check to see if the brakes are applied and see if the master cylinder is full of brake fluid. If you need further assistance with your vehicle not moving when putting the transmission in drive or reverse, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
Turn off your vehicle`s ignition and wait patiently for 5 to 10 seconds. Start the engine and allow it to idle for several seconds. Switch off the ignition and wait patiently for another 30 to 40 seconds. Repeat these steps 2 to 3 times in order to reset your vehicle`s transmission control module.
The brake light switch is the main culprit for your gearshift being stuck in the mode. It`s a small sensor located on the brake pedal that prevents the car from starting if the brake pedal isn`t depressed.
Grinding, Jerking, or Shaking

Shaking and jerking are good indicators of transmission trouble. Gear grinding is a common symptom in manual transmission vehicles. Automatic transmission failure often begins with some hesitation during gears shifting. Some might describe this a “slipping,” as well.

How Long Does it Take? If you take your vehicle to a repair shop that has the right tools and the information from the manufacturer, the process takes about 30 minutes to complete. Reprogramming a transmission shouldn`t take very long.
Transmission Range Sensor (TR)/ Transmission Position Sensor

The PCM uses this information to control which gears of the transmission to enable or disable. When the TR sensor fails it can cause wrong gear starts, no upshifts, or what feels like a falling-out-of-gear condition.

According to the experts at our Mercedes-Benz service center, a typical automatic transmission should last around 150,000 to 200,000 miles–that comes out to roughly seven years of use.
The short answer to this question is no, you should not drive with a bad transmission. Sometimes, life happens, and you have to keep driving your vehicle even though you know that it needs to be serviced.
Maintain Proper Transmission Fluid Levels

The #1 cause of transmission failure is low fluid, which causes overheating. In automatic transmissions, it causes delayed engagement, harsh shifts, and slippage.

For your safety, the automatic transmission has a shift lock system which prevents shifting the transmission from P (Park) into R (Reverse) unless the brake pedal is depressed. To shift the transmission from P (Park) into R (Reverse): Depress and hold the brake pedal.
When it comes to Powershift faults, the sensors inside the transmission are often to blame. If the magnets that relay information to the sensors become dirty, the readings they pick up can confuse the control module. This can often be fixed by dismantling and cleaning the sensors and changing the oil.
Disconnecting a battery will not typically reset the transmission. However, it may reset the vehicle`s computer systems, which could affect how the transmission operates.
Find the reset button on the left side of your instrument cluster. Press the reset button and hold it until your display shows “To reset: Press reset button for 3 seconds.” Push the reset button again and hold it in until the display shows the system has been reset.
Typically, two sensors communicate the transmission data to the vehicle`s powertrain control module. The first sensor, referred to as the input sensor, monitors the speed of the transmission`s input shaft. The second sensor is the output sensor, which monitors the output shaft speed.
Trouble Shifting Gears

A clogged catalytic converter makes the engine work harder, which in turn makes it difficult to shift the transmission. In regards to air, a bad O2 sensor or dirty mass air flow sensor will also cause the gears to stick.

This requires specialized experience and education, which is why you`ll want a mechanic to address the issues. Vehicle transmissions are one of the more complicated components of a vehicle and, consequently more difficult to repair or replace.
The TCM fuse is in the main fuse block and is probably 10 amps. If the fuse is blown, that is confirmation but the faulty fuse means there is a short circuit in the TCM and/or wiring that would have to be traced and repaired.
Most repairs are fairly quick. Flushing the fluid, sealing, and recalibration can be done within a day. Replacing the shift solenoids takes a day or two. A full rebuild, however, is very time and labor-intensive and will typically take three to four days.
Drive. Some cars have D+ and D- instead of D1 and D2 to indicate lower and higher gear. D in an automatic gear shift lever means Drive. It engages the forward gears in the transmission. The transmission will automatically shift between the gears as the vehicle accelerates and decelerates.
The governor is inside the transmission housing, attached to the output shaft, which means it turns along with the drive train. So as the wheels turn, so does the governor, and its input signals the shift valve to shift or delay a shift at a certain RPM.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Car won’t change gears when I stop and try to put car in Park. It won’t go until I remove the key.
ANSWER : Hi there. Check the shifter lock solenoid in the shifter housing. The lock solenoid may have an issue as the ignition key is on. I recommend replacing the shifter lock solenoid. Also, I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you diagnose your lock solenoid in your shifter if your vehicle still continues to not going in into park after replacing the shifter lock solenoid.

My manual car won’t go into gear, it turns on and the clutch goes down perfectly fine. It happened after my gears grinded, the car
ANSWER : If the clutch mechanism is releasing properly, and the shift linkage is not malfunctioning, your transmission will have to be removed from the vehicle and inspected. Once a transmission has been removed from a vehicle, if the problem is a broken or worn part or parts, and the transmission has 100,000 miles or more, the most cost effective approach is to just simply rebuild the whole transmission. There are transmission rebuild kits that are sold just for this purpose. Rebuilding a transmission is no big deal and is indeed easier in many respects than rebuilding an engine. You can rebuild your transmission right in your own garage. You can NOT rebuild an engine in your own garage due to the highly specialized, and extremely costly, machine shop equipment required. Occasionally, mobile mechanics will take on a transmission rebuild job especially as once the mechanic removes the transmission from the vehicle, it is just simply a modular unit that can be easily transported to a mechanic’s shop and rebuilt right there and then returned to your vehicle. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

Battery and oil light come on when trying to start car, take keys out try again car starts no problem and lights go away
ANSWER : Of course, don’t switch gears without being fully stopped, unless your Owner’s Manual or the manufacturer has alternative advice. However, the gear shift issue has no relation to the no-start problem you are describing. Inasmuch as you only have 6,000 miles on the car, the "constant on and off" that you believe has occurred is meaningless in comparison to the expected total vehicle service life. That is, assume what you perceive as "constant on and off", during merely 6,000 miles, might be equivalent to using the car "normally" for three years. A new car should be trouble free for at least 5 years, unless there is a defect, so your "constant on and off" is not a causal factor for any fault on the vehicle. What you might have is a defect in the ignition switch, or perhaps the immobilizer system, but if the problem is not in the switch itself, clearly there is an electrical problem.

If your vehicle is under warranty, by law the dealer MUST repair the issue you are describing within a prescribed time frame and number of "attempts", otherwise the dealer will run afoul of Federal and state Lemon Laws that give you very specific rights, and recourse (contact an Attorney; we are Mechanics, NOT attorneys). Consequently, if the vehicle is still under warranty, to save yourself money do be sure to seek a resolution from the dealer. If the vehicle is not under warranty, obviously a certified Mechanic from YourMechanic could identify the electrical fault and resolve this for you. If you want to go that route, please simply request a no start diagnostic -electrical system and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

i have problem about runx this car when try to drive actually when i put gear position D car is going slowly then when try go spea
ANSWER : If you have a 2017 Toyota vehicle that his having acceleration issues and are having to use public transportation to get around, I would recommend taking the vehicle back to the Toyota dealership for service immediately. This vehicle is still under warranty and any issue you are having with the powertrain should be fixed free of charge. It is not even 2017 yet so there is no reason what so ever that this vehicle should have any issues with the engine.

Shifting from 2nd to 3rd, car stopped going fast. Now it won’t go at all.
ANSWER : It is possible that your clutch has failed. The sound you are hearing is likely due to the clutch not engaging with the engine due to it being worn. I would recommened having your transmission inspected by a qualified transmission expert to determine if your clutch requires replacement in order to resolve this issue. This inspection may require removal and partial disassembly of the transmission in order to verify that the clutch has failed.

my car gear is stuck in drive but the gear shift goes to park car is in acc postion wont crank or swicth to off to remove the key
ANSWER : Hi there, thanks for writing in.

It sounds like you most likely have a broken shift cable, or a failed shifter assembly. A failure of either part would allow you to move the shifter handle to park, while the transmission actually remains in drive. Because it could be either of these parts, I would recommend having a qualified professional, such as one from YourMechanic, diagnose your shift issue.

Vehicle won’t go into gear when running, when turned off, vehicle will go into gear but won’t start. 1998 Ford Explorer
ANSWER : Hello – your clutch hydraulics are the problem here. Check the clutch hydraulics fluid level – and it may share the same reservoir as the brake master cylinder (both use brake fluid as the hydraulic medium). If fluid needs to be added, that means that probably the clutch slave cylinder is leaking – this might be visible as a clear, but bitter-smelling liquid on the ground under the engine. I recommend a clutch hydraulics inspection performed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, and give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.

My car wont shift out of drive but the gear shifter is moving.
ANSWER : Hello. It is likely an issue with your shift linkage which connects your gear shift to the transmission. Some parts of the shift linkage are made of plastic which the components break or pop off making replacement or reassembly required. I suggest you have your vehicle evaluated by technician to check your shift linkage condition. You are able to find a technician and schedule an appointment for your vehicle here.
https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/car-does-not-shift-from-park-to-drive-inspection