[harshmalhotra1]

anybody have any experience with this or heard of this happening before?

it's happened a few times to my 2003 outback ... it won't go into gear from park.

start the car
foot on break
and the thing won't shift into the reverse or drive or anything... parking brake up down doesn't matter...
brute force won't work either...

then after a few tries it works but feels really random... i can hear the click but it looks like it's not dislodging .. anybody heard of this issue before? what needs to be fixed?

for now I am releasing it using bypass switch, don't want to get stuck somewhere in case there is some part to be replaced.

 

[Richard Pare]

The lockout for the shifter is sticking. You can manually release it by pushing down on the button that is located forward and to the right of the shifter. You may need to take the console apart ot get at the mechanism itself to see what the actual problem is.

 

[eagleeye]

the manual release is described in the owners manual.

 

[Richard Pare]

I think that we both missed where he said that he is using the bypass switch.


That "switch", as far as I know, is nothing more than a mechanical release. Something in the lockout mechanism is either broken or sticking - maybe somebody spilled some syrupy liquid - like a soft drink - on the console at some time?


To fix, you will have to take the console facia off to get at it to see what the problem is.