Hey,

I've had this happen to me a few times now, and it only happens after a drive and I'm parking my car.

I always put up the e-brake, so what I do is put in the brake, throw the shifter in neutral, then put up my ebrake, then shift into park, then let go of the brake.

What happens sometimes, is after I put up my ebrake, I grab the shifter to move it to park, but it won't move! It won't go to reverse (which is required to get to park).

BUT it will go to drive, so usually I'll just throw it in drive again, and then back to neutral and then it will go to park.

Any suggestions?

 

brake pedal switch?
neutral safety switch?
just guessing.

 

Yeah, seems like some "safety lock".

 

^ i think both of those switches can be found at a local auto store for a few bucks.

if you have spare change and time, try it out

 

I think you're right - I think the "gear position sensor" aka neutral safety switch is glitching.

28900-RDG-023

 

cool to actually know the name that Honda gives it.
"gear position sensor"

hopefully that solves it for you

 

From Owner's Manual:
Your vehicle has a reverse lockout so you cannot accidentally shift to Reverse from Neutral or any other driving position when the vehicle speed exceeds 5 6 mph (8 10 km/h). If you cannot shift to Reverse when the vehicle is stopped, press the brake pedal and slowly shift to Neutral, and then to Reverse. If there is a problem in the Reverse lockout system, or your vehicle’s battery is disconnected or goes dead, you cannot shift to reverse.

Never had a problem with the TL, but on our '08 knock-around vehicle, every once in a while I don't hit the brake exactly correct and reverse is blocked, try again fine.

 

That sequence is incorrect, and I will explain below. The correct sequence is:

1) press main brake

2) place shift in NEUTRAL

3) put up ebrake

4) release (let go of) main brake (slowly), wait for car to stop moving, verify that the ebrake is holding.

5) shift into PARK

While my list may seem the same as your procedure, it is *not*. Please review my list carefully. It may explain your problem, and certainly, failure to follow my listed procedure can damage your transmission.

I assume that you have a reason for using your own ebrake, and that is because you are parking on a hill.

When you release (let go of) the main brake, the car will move slightly, even though the ebrake is set. If you have already shifted into PARK, before removing your foot from the main brake, the transmission will rotate against the parking PAWL, as the vehicle shifts slightly. This is especially true if the ebrake is not firmly set, or is not actually completely holding the vehicle weight.

That is the primary reason for using the ebrake in the first place, to prevent pressure against the transmission parking PAWL. Enough pressure against the parking PAWL can damage or even break it. It may even be impossible to shift the transmission out of PARK, if enough pressure is against the parking PAWL – because the vehicle is parked on a steep hill.

Replacing the parking PAWL requires disassembly of the transmission, basically meaning you will require a new transmission – not kidding.

Now, I cannot say whether the procedure that you are using to set the ebrake is causing the problem that you have described – failure to shift into PARK. I can only say that following your procedure can damage the parking PAWL.

It is possible that following your ebrake-set procedure has already slightly damaged the parking PAWL, or stretched the trans shift cable, or altered the adjustment of the shift cable/ lever. The RDX uses a shift cable and I assume that the TL also does. It may be possible to adjust the TL shift cable, or the cable may require replacement.

Please respond if you find a definite reason for the problem that you have described – I am always interested in learning something new.
---eof

 

Where is this "neutral safety switch"? I'm having a difficult time switching through all gears. I would have to use a screw driver to press on the release switch to change gears. When I finally get it in drive, it feels like the car doesn't switch out of second gear. Tiptronic doesn't work either.
This all started yesterday when I did a tranny flush and replaced the filter, with the help of my cousin, we changed out all the bulbs on the hearing system and by the gear box. at the same time I was replacing my head unit, removing door panels to access the speakers.
After the tranny flush was complete, I started the car and I had no dash display, windows didn't work, neither did the sunroof. Eventually I got everything closed up by turning the key on the driver door. I have to do a complete check on the fuses for that issue. My main concern is this shifting problem. It feels like a safety lock or some sort that's preventing me to switch gears.
Open to any comments and suggestions. Thank you

 

Wow - I've been doing it wrong the entire time.
My driveway is on a slight incline and that must be why every morning I put it in drive, my car jerks - because it was resting on the parking pawl overnight.

Pretty sure this is what you'll need to do:

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/c-037-diy-gear-position-sensor-replacement-aka-transmission-range-switch-892223/

 

Thanks guitarplayer16. I'll put an order for the part n swap it out. Hopefully that'll fix the issue. I just find it weird to go bad so instantly. Then again I didn't disconnect the battery when changing the head unit. Is there anyway to tell that part is bad other than just not being able to switch gears?

 

Your symptoms point to the gear position sensor aka neutral safety switch

In the small possible case it won't fix it, I'll buy it off you.

 

I'll keep you posted. I'll try to get to it this week. Thanks again

 

ummm ... not sure that I understand this comment - the car will always *jerk* slightly, any time its shifted into reverse or drive, from NEUTRAL or from PARK, simply because an engine load is placed on the trans, trying to move the car. And I consider it best to always have my foot on the main brake pedal while doing that.

Or do you mean that the car actually moves slightly?

As for releasing the Ebrake, I did not previously comment. But so long as your foot is firmly on the main brake pedal, it does not really matter whether you release the Ebrake and then shift out of PARK, or vice versa, so long as your foot is on the main brake pedal while you complete both.

 

Yes - the car actually jerks harshly with movement - in the morning.
This happens starting up the car, and shifting to drive or reverse.
Again, only in the morning or cold start.

I just changed out all 3 engine mounts.
I'm suspecting my transmission mounts are bad.

How I release my ebrake is:

Start up car
Push in the brake
Shift to reverse or drive
put down the e-brake
let go of brake pedal
drive

 

If that means literally, that should not happen, as in PARK the trans should not be powered by (connected to) the engine, only in REVERSE or DRIVE.

But when shifting out of PARK, if the engine is cold, the engine idle RPMs are higher, so the *jerk* is more. I start the engine, then settle into the seat and connect the seat-belt, which allows the engine/ trans to warm slightly, lowering the RPMs just a bit. No, I don't wait more than perhaps a minute.

Also, I use a fully synthetic ATF, RedLine brand D4, which seems to be thinner at low temps than the Honda ATF. That causes less *jerk* for me when the engine/ trans is cold, down to 10*F for me. Old/ worn ATF that is not synthetic will thicken (simplistic comment).

But if you wish to consider a non-Honda ATF, there are many threads about that, so I won't comment futher here.

Cannot comment on that - but there are certainly several threads in this forum concering this topic.