trans is stuck in drive, cannot re-start the car. the key lock did not work. any suggestions?

 

look down at the shifter area inside the cabin- see on the right side of the shifter is a small piece you can remove with a toothpick-small flat something under its edge
This is the emergency override access to the Nuetral Safety Lockout switch
Press- of all things- your car key into the hole and push- click- shifter should unlock
Then determine if you have functioning brake lights- dont ask just check
If they are ok you need a nuetral switch- keeps the car from being started in gear
If brake lights inop- possibly their switch at the brake pedal is bad

 

Thanks, i will give it a try. just as a note, the shift lever will move into other gears.

 

OK I am confused- its NOT stuck in park? - you can move it thru the gears-
Does it go to N or P and not start?

 

stuck in drive. will move to higher gears, will not go into n or p and will not start.

the button did not help.

 

higher gears- what do you mean? the d 2-5? but it wont go into N or R or P?

Did you try a small screwdriver held down on the button- I failed to mention that sorry
What about the brake lights- can you see them working?

I am sending a PM to the guru in hopes he his on

 

David- lets back up in the story so we can help you better.

What year and model-is it TL? type s or p are you driving. How many miles are on it now.
WHAT was the last thing that happened before this event- hit an object in road, just dring and it wouldnt go into park to shut off etc. Why is it in Drive now?
Has the transmission been funny at all recently?

 

right, it wil move through d 2-5 but will not go into N or P.
My son is on the road and having this issue so i am talking to him on the phone. I had him check the brake lights and they are continuous on. Hopefully that will be the only issue.

He only had the car key on him so he was using that to hold the button down. It may not have been long enough.
a tow truck is there and will be taking the car home for him.

 

The car key is actually whatthe book says to use- acura thinking ahead!!

Brake lights on all the time- hmm usually the switch fails and no lights but who knows with electrical
The good news is: the part is reasonable- I believe in the under $30 range, and the install, your son can do in the garage. Switch is located behind the brake pedal- you cant miss it
When it messes up- there is a safety interock that prevents starting
There should be a DIY just look in that section

 

03 TL. Trans has been working fine. the kid was on his way back to school and pulled into a convenient store and into a parking spot. says he did not touch a curb or side walk. the car was running and when he went to put it in park, he could not. the lever would not go into n or p, only down through the other gears. so he turned the car off. the key turns in the ignition and the steering wheel moves freely but the car will not start.
Oh, it has about 120k miles.

 

With that resolved for now, welcome to the forum!
Just about every problem and its solution can be found here.
It does help in emergencies like this if you say- kid on phone stranded with 02 TL 100k miles- what do we do?

Otherwise we figure the car is at home and there is no drama
Let us know what happens

 

ok, so if it is the brake switch and we replace it, the gear shift lever should then move?

 

thanks and I greatly appreciate all your help.

 

Thats strange that he cant get it to neutral or reverse. I done think the shift lock would have any thing to do with it (though it may, since the brake lights are on) I would have pulled the brake fuse to see if that would have helped?