[Susan Hisel]

Hey everyone, I’m new to this site. Just purchased my 04 R about 3 months ago. Love it! No problems until today. Was acting fine, pulled into driveway, backed up, shifter slid would move freely then stuck in reverse. Button on shifter then would not compress and shifter stuck in reverse. Turned car off, to see if it might reengage something? And now car won’t start because it’s in reverse. HELP PLEASE. My husband and I had just planned our first week long trip in my car and suppose to leave Saturday morning! Would love some quick feedback

 

[Railroad Guy]

First where are you located? Add your location and one of the SSR family will help. You can order the part from simple engineering Mike in Arizona. I bet when you post your location someone will help ASAP. I had the same problem and a fanatic came to my house and fixed it. Cost me $20 bucks. Thanks Dinerman. Now I carry an extra one in my car.

 

[tennesseecozydog]

Susan, sounds like you got a Transmission Shifter Cable problem ... easy fix IF you can get your hands on the "little" part that will get you going again. The original part is "plastic" and eventually breaks.

Where do you live ??? If you go to a Chevrolet dealer I think they will install another "plastic" one which will solve your problem temporarily and even a few years which will get you going on your "Maiden Voyage" this weekend in your "004"

Dicktator in Florida and Mike in AZ have have new ones that are made of metal and are a permanent fix. I carry one in my SSR in case someone needs one here in the the Nashville, Tennessee, area. If you are in the area I will certainly come to your rescue tomorrow with a metal one. tennesseecozydog :ssr

 

[tennesseecozydog]

Susan :00000732: to the SSR Family ... Help is just "around the corner or down the street"

 

[Susan Hisel]

O my, I sure wish I was close! Claremore Oklahoma. So Chevy dealership have these plastic parts until I can get a metal one? Do you know if and where I can get a metal one overnighted to me , AND is it easily put on?

 

[Susan Hisel]

Oops ok I see dicktator has them you’re awesome with such a quick answer!

 

[Susan Hisel]

Claremore Oklahoma

 

[snomuncher]

Shifter Cable

If the plastic bushing on the shifter cable has deteriorated and that is the cause of the cable becoming disconnected, there are two options. One is to replace the lower bushing with the repair kit noted by others. This is a good long-term fix. The second is to replace the bushing with its equivalent replacement part, available at auto parts stores in a repair kit of two bushings, one for the upper part of the cable at the shifter and one for the lower connection at the transmission. The part numbers for the kits are Dorman 14055 or NAPA 615-1433.

If the cause of the problem is not worn bushings or disconnected cable ends, the problem might be electrical, such as a faulty brake light switch or shift interlock solenoid; both are relatively easy to replace. These normally work together to prevent the shifter from moving out of park with the engine running without first pressing the brake pedal.

 

[06-SSR]

Welcome from northeast Texas they are telling you right get the part from either dick or mike that will fix it for ever

 

[BlueStreak]

If the plastic bushing on the shifter cable has deteriorated and that is the cause of the cable becoming disconnected, there are two options. One is to replace the lower bushing with the repair kit noted by others. This is a good long-term fix. The second is to replace the bushing with its equivalent replacement part, available at auto parts stores in a repair kit of two bushings, one for the upper part of the cable at the shifter and one for the lower connection at the transmission. The part numbers for the kits are Dorman 14055 or NAPA 615-1433.

If the cause of the problem is not worn bushings or disconnected cable ends, the problem might be electrical, such as a faulty brake light switch or shift interlock solenoid; both are relatively easy to replace. These normally work together to prevent the shifter from moving out of park with the engine running without first pressing the brake pedal.

This pretty much covers it all. Not sure what the Dorman or NAPA parts cost but I think the kit from Dicktator or Mike in AZ is about $20. Mike has a web store for SSR parts he makes or sells at simple-engineering.com aand weighs very little so mailing is not an issues. If you order it tomorrow you might get it overnighted and save your trip. Maybe someone in the vicinity of Tulsa will see this and help out.

 

[cali201]

https://www.ssrfanatic.com/forum/f103/transmission-shift-cable-repair-pictures-55365/

 

[tennesseecozydog]

Susan, Susan, listen up !!! SSR's with problems are in the minority. Don't get discouraged. We have had ours 9 + years and never been left on the "side of the road" (knock on wood). They are one, fun "toy truck" and every SSRfanatic out there is wishing you and your husband many miles and hours of trouble free driving.

Let me encourage you to sign up for the 2019 SSR International Rally in Branson, Missouri, in October of 2019 (Yes 2019) !!! Again :00000732: to the SSR Nation and Good Luck in getting your "little truck" fixed up for your weekend trip !!!

The HeartBeat of Tennessee SSR's ... tennesseecozydog, SWT RYD, Go daddy, had2hvt, Boomer Bob, safecracker, Tncharlie, Lady Di, 46 chevy, just to name a few. :smile2: :smile2: :smile2

 

[TheXCepsion]

Welcome too the Group, from Friendswood, Texas. Sorry you are experiencing difficulties with Your " R ", but You have found the right place for answers. It does indeed sound like Your shift cable bushing has failed from the description. Reading the posts, it seems that is the general consensus. Hopefully there is someone close too You to assist.

 

[Stlhotrod]

Welcome to the group. This is a fairly common issue with the shifter cables and the position of the hot exhaust being close to the cable end with a plastic bushing that holds it in place. It is a fairly easy fix and like others have said you can go the plastic route and replace it now and then again down the road or go with the stainless steel repair that are available from Dictator or Mike. I have 2 SSRs and my 04 just had this same thing happen to it 2 weeks ago. I was lucky that it happened at a guys shop and I just borrowed a floor jack and raised the truck up enough to get under it and pull the transmission arm into gear to get me home. I had the repair kit at home already so I put it on the next day and everything was good to go.

 

[nj6969]

----If the cause of the problem is not worn bushings or disconnected cable ends, the problem might be electrical, such as a faulty brake light switch or shift interlock solenoid; both are relatively easy to replace. These normally work together to prevent the shifter from moving out of park with the engine running without first pressing the brake pedal.

:agree I didn't think the failed bushing prevented the shifter from moving. I thought he opposite Shifter would move, freely, but transmission gears could not be changed.!? Some one correct me?
Also HANG on--there are a lot of Fanatics in Oklahoma and some one close by might have a spare shifter kit! Maybe contact info for you?

Nick

 

[nj6969]

Susan Hisel, Welcome from Forney Texas!!! You will discover that you have found the BEST FORUM ever!---Consider going to "Tools" in the red banner, click on "User CP" go to "Your Profile" then click "Edit Your Details". Then, whenever you "post" something, it will show in the left column under your name, like the rest of us, and we will know where you are and what you drive. Then if you have a problem, someone close by might be able to help out.

--Also if you haven't yet, go to "FORUMS", "SSRFanatics News & Polls", "New Member section" and introduce Yourself!!

Nick & Kathy

 

[Auggie Doggie]

If you work on it yourself always be very careful jacking up and going under the truck because like you said you don't know exactly what gear it is in but you do know it is not in PARK, so rolling may occur. Block the wheels and use the hand break. Good luck.

 

[Autoprof]

:agree I didn't think the failed bushing prevented the shifter from moving. I thought he opposite Shifter would move, freely, but transmission gears could not be changed.!? Some one correct me?
Also HANG on--there are a lot of Fanatics in Oklahoma and some one close by might have a spare shifter kit! Maybe contact info for you?

Nick

Nick I agree - normally the shifter would still move if the lower bushing had failed, however the upper bushing could have failed and is jamming up the linkage or the lower bushing has fallen off and the cable end is bound up against the shift lever on transmission - both possible but easy way to check. keep reading

Hey everyone, I’m new to this site. Just purchased my 04 R about 3 months ago. Love it! No problems until today. Was acting fine, pulled into driveway, backed up, shifter slid would move freely then stuck in reverse. Button on shifter then would not compress and shifter stuck in reverse. Turned car off, to see if it might reengage something? And now car won’t start because it’s in reverse. HELP PLEASE. My husband and I had just planned our first week long trip in my car and suppose to leave Saturday morning! Would love some quick feedback

Susan
You mention it is stuck in reverse -- meaning it won't move at all or won't move into park?
Can you move the shifter down towards neutral or drive?
If yes I would ask you to turn key on without trying to start - lights should come on dash. --- Look at the DIC and see if it displays what gear you are in.
If it displays reverse try moving shifter to neutral and then drive while watch the DIC -- does the indicator on the dash move with the shifter?
You may need to close the door so it doesn't display - door ajar all the time.

If the answer is yes then both shifter bushings and cable are working -- and car should start in neutral. IF DIC does not show change in positions don't try to start as it might start in gear.(BE SURE TO HAVE FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL AND PARKING BRAKE APPLIED.
Release parking brake and then slowly release brake pedal to make sure car doesn't move and is indeed in neutral. You should then be able to drive car.

This would also lead me to believe that the problem is inside the console.
Now with the engine OFF
I would start by removing the shifter (allen EDIT or T15 torx screw on back side of shifter that you cannot see from driver seat) after you loosen that screw you can lift up on shifter - mine was loose and causing things to bind up. With shifter removed try pushing carefully on white plastic tab - see if it functions normally.
If it now moves reinstall shifter carefully.
If it still doesn't move remove shifter surround (the silver piece with the window and roof switches) look down inside to see if you can see anything impeding the action of the lock out mechanism (the bottom part of the white tab on the right side of shifter).


If your DIC did not change I would recommend checking both the upper and lower shifter cable bushings -- there are two different powerpoints from Dictator on replacing both of these.

Sorry I am too busy right now to provide pictures - but can later if I know your DIC functions with shifter.

 

[Stlhotrod]

When my lower bushing went out I was in reverse and pulling the shifter into drive when it snapped. The transmission was still in reverse and the shifter handle would go ahead and go from reverse to drive as easy as could be but once I pushed it up to park it locked into the park position for the handle and would not let me move the shifter handle out of park. I set the emergency brake and jacked it up and could pull the shifter arm into drive and drive it home. Once I got home I shut it off and it would not restart because the transmission was still in drive but the shifter handle was in park.

 

[Autoprof]

When my lower bushing went out I was in reverse and pulling the shifter into drive when it snapped. The transmission was still in reverse and the shifter handle would go ahead and go from reverse to drive as easy as could be but once I pushed it up to park it locked into the park position for the handle and would not let me move the shifter handle out of park. I set the emergency brake and jacked it up and could pull the shifter arm into drive and drive it home. Once I got home I shut it off and it would not restart because the transmission was still in drive but the shifter handle was in park.

I agree that is what would happen - My point is that the DIC on yours when you parked it probably displayed Drive although shifter was in park. This is because the transmission position sensor (switch) is located on he transmission not on the shifter. And if the display on dash is changing then the transmission linkage is still connected.