I am a single woman and I only have one car, on September 25, 2015 I drove to work every thing was fine, drove to lunch and back, parked at worked in the lot. I went to leave work for the day my car would start fine, but my car was stuck in park. No warning that the part was about to go out. My friend had to take gear shift apart and unlock the shifter with a screw driver while the car was running and the brake on. He removed the shifter cover and exposed the shifter and stuck a screw driver to unlock.
Apparently this is a common problem because YouTube tells you how to unlock it. It seems that this part NEEDS to be recalled because it seems to be a very common problem. Called the dealership and asked about the part, they will not sell you the hot pink thing that is causing the problem, they gave me the the price of the gear shift for the tune of $179.00 part only, not including labor. This is a rip off to have to pay this much for a plastic part. The Dodge Corporation know this is a problems and they will not recall this part. Why would they have the gear shift in stock at the dealership if it was not a problem. Why would you put a plastic in this part of the car that you use more than any part.
So I bought a 2006 Dodge Charger R/T as my first car and I'm 15. It has everything i wanted in it and comes with a huge V8. What could go wrong at 78k miles? For an 06 in 2015 that wasnt too shabby. It happened during a sporting event when i texted my mother and told her to pick me up in my new car to show everyone (i loved it). She texted back about 5 min after saying "it wont shift..." And keep in mind i have only had this car for 3 days. My family had always bought Chevy and never had problems. I really was pissed at Dodge. I looked on Youtube and sure enough, tons of pther people had the same problem. Went to the chrysler dealership and got a new part after ripping my gear lever out and man handling it until it was scratched up. I fixed it for around $15 but was still a huge pain. Havent driven it a whole lot after that. I hear that things can f*ck up in the engine. I swear Dodge if that happens to me...
There is a recall, but not all VIN numbers are covered. So there's a ton of people complaining about a known problem, but Dodge is only recalling part of them. The other thing that is dangerous is that there is a temporary fix, whereby you can use a screwdriver to get the car out of park, but then you have park the car in neutral and use the emergency brake. But this is not 100% reliable in keeping the car parked on a slope. And until the car is fixed, this is a danger.
My vehicle would start but would not shift into gear. I had to remove the center console and manually pull on the shift cable. If the vehicle still cannot shift into gear then turn the ignition switch a quarter turn, press the brake, pull the shift cable or press the pink thing on the right side of the shift handle, shift it into neutral, start the car, then you can shift between gears but do not put it into park. It is a pain in the ass but I was able to drive my vehicle to the mechanic. This mechanic tried to sell me a new shift box assembly because he said that it is one piece and did not come apart. Then it practically fell apart in his hands, exposing the part that needed to be replaced.
There are two parts in the assemble that are made of a cheap plastic and can be replaced with metal parts. They cost between $30 to $50 each if you purchase them yourself. The mechanic charged nearly $400. This is actually an easy fix with numerous YouTube videos showing step by step how to do it. I went to a mechanic because this is supposed to be covered under a recall.
This is a known problem with this car sometimes covered by recall. The center console can be easily removed and the shift cable can easily be manipulated to get you temporary into gear. The shift box can be easily removed and the plastic parts can be replaced with metal parts. They cost less then $50 each. The mechanic will charge about $400. I went to the mechanic because the problem was supposed to be covered under the recall but that was not the case.
Came out to start car to go to appointment. Car would not shift at all. Called dealership and they walked me through how to get the shifter to move into gear. If I had not had some idea of what to do after working in USAF as a mechanic I would not have been able to fix the car so I could drive it to the dealership. They told us a cotter key had broken and they repaired it.
- Mark G.,
Barboursville, WV, US
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Luckily I was stuck in my driveway and not running around with the kids. Went to chargerforums.com and searched "stuck in park" and came up with the result: pink thingy...I know, technical huh. Anyway, with the help of chargerforums,com and youtube my bf was able to fix it for $0.00. It took about 2 hours total and most of that time was used taking out the shifter box and pulling it apart....(spilt soda + dirt = gunk). There are now after market parts but rigging with a wire worked too.
Local dealership did not have the replacement part (BIG SURPRISE) and recommended replacing the entire shifter box @ $400.00....yea right......
There is a recall on this matter for 2005 - 2007 Dodge Charger, Magnum and Chrysler 300 equipped with a floor shifter. When I called my dealership, they were aware of this problem and asked for my VIN. Turns out I didn't have a qualifying VIN number, even though my make, model and year are qualifying factors. I was informed due to where my car was manufacturered it did not qualify for the recall. How can Dodge do this when they know that there is an issue with the vehicles. The recall should not be based upon where your vehicle was manufactured. This is a safety issue and this could get you stranded in who knows where! By the way, the dealership quoted me at $350 for the repair plus towing cost. What a joke!
Shifter stuck in park when I tried to leave work. Dodge has a recall for "some" of the VIN's but not all even though the recall letter says 2005-2007, it doesn't imply engine size or trim. The recall code is K39, search it, add your complaints, because this is BULL SH*T, and absolutely absurd that it effects all the models yet they refuse to fix them. The average cost I was told was between $350.00-400.00!!! We should NOT be responsible for fixing this, but at that amount look at the money they're making off of all these repairs! This also affects Magnum and the 300 models also, this is a shame for Chrysler to take advantage of us like this so they can make a dollar. Speak up and raise hell people!
STRANDED, HAD TO BE TOWED , WOULD NOT COME OUT OF PARK, WRECKER DRIVER SAID HE HAD TOWED 5 LIKE THIS 2 CHRYSLER 300'S AND 3 CHARGERS.
I CALLED DODGE CHRYSLER THEY JERKED ME AROUND FOR 2 DAYS, THEN TOLD ME CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THIS IS NOT A RECALL ISSUE. I POINTED OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, THEY DID NOT CARE!! THEY DO NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT.
No warning at all, I leave work its 100+ degrees outside and I cant leave. Good thing i wasn't at the grocery store. Had to have it towed 30 miles. I see online this is a known problem with dodge. It should have a recall and reimburse customers
not much else necessary to say, just the gear shifter is stuck in park. we need to start a lawsuit on chrysler for this problem. the shifter had to be replaced for $300.
Pretty simple, drove back from lunch. Parked at worked lot. I went to leave work for the day and my car was stuck in park. The tow truck had to come and tow my car but he had to unlock the shifter with a screw driver while the car was running and the brake on. He removed the shifter cover and exposed the shifter and stuck a screw driver to unlock. Apparently this is a common problem because he had a cheat printed out on how to unlock it. My car was towed to the dealer on a flat bed.
I just spent $900.00 on a 60,000 mile service although my car hadn't made it to 60,000 miles two weeks ago. So to come up with another $400.00+ was the worst part. It seems that this part NEEDS to be recalled because it seems to be a very common problem. The dealer did give me a 10% discount on the parts and labor but it seems like a rip off to have to pay this much for a car that just recently was serviced and is regularly serviced at the dealer only.
Update from Nov 28, 2011: I contacted Dodge via email and they reimbursed me for everything minus $100.00. Looks like this part maybe recalled. Very happy with their response.
This problem happened with my son when he was 150 miles away from home. I had to get a friend in Dallas to look at the vehicle. He was able to take the car out of park and my son was able to make it home. only when he made a stop he had to leave the car in neutral and set the park brake. I am told this is a warranty issue with some charges but not the 2005 R/T that i own.
After driving a big truck all day I look forward to getting out of it and into my car for a nice ride home to the family. However this was not the case I got into my car and started it drive up to the office to turn in my paperwork, placed the car in park, walked in and turned in my paperwork returned to the car and it would not come out of park. Look in the owners manual to find the problem. Okay it says pull out the the side tray press pink button to override, did not work had to dismantle the console, there is another pink button,after some figured out how to get the car in gear. I had to drive the car this way for 6 months before the part was in and to add injury to pain I get a bill for $600 on top of this. the service guy says, oh we do 5 or 6 of these a week. Where is the damn recall notice? come on Dodge I see this a rip off. I want my money back. I will be calling the Department of Transportation about this to see if something can be done.
went to start my car and it would not go out of park. With the mileage at 67,000 I think this is crazy especially after all the money you pay for a car. I do think Chrysler Dodge should cover the Shift Box that cost me $500.00. I have had plenty of cars and never had a problem like this with any of my previous vehicles. They need to quit trying to make cars out of plastic.
What now??? is what I was thinking... My car sat idle for two months, then I rec'd AV notice on my windshield. started her up with a new battery but couldn't get her to move out of park!!!!!! I was told several things by some concerned bystanders, but the most helpful was my neighbor who owns a tow truck, press the pink button. Well we pressed and like th guy said shouldve just picked our noses. Anyway because I do not give up easily I removed stuff so i could get a better look at the linkage..well low and behold there was a second bright pink button near the top of the gearshift linkage and when I pushed in and moved the shifter at the same time I was able to move my car about 40 feet, preventing my car from being towed, and was able to sell it that day, all within 1 hour of each other. But I was also told that it is a common problem... So now what?
It was at night I just left the company Christmas party. I got in my car to leave it started fine but I couldn't move it out of park. Soon my co-workers saw I wasn't moving and came over to see what was the problem. They sat with me until help came(over an hour wait). I was in a parking garage and the first tow truck was to big so we had to wait for another one. The second tow truck had difficulty because my car wouldn't roll in park. I'm sure Redman towing might have a few choice words about it. Once it was all said and done it was close to three hours. The next day the dealership said my car needs a shifter but one can't be found so it will be Tuesday before it can be fixed. This all happened three days before Christmas so my plans went down the drain. I hope it will be fixed on Tuesday or I will have to miss work. I have been reading that this is a common problem maybe that is the reason the part can't be found. I can't believe there hasn't been a recall if I had been traveling and stopped for gas when this happened I can't even imagine my out come!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I am a single woman and I only have one car, on September 25, 2015 I drove to work every thing was fine, drove to lunch and back, parked at worked in the lot. I went to leave work for the day my car would start fine, but my car was stuck in park. No warning that the part was about to go out. My friend had to take gear shift apart and unlock the shifter with a screw driver while the car was running and the brake on. He removed the shifter cover and exposed the shifter and stuck a screw driver to unlock.
Apparently this is a common problem because YouTube tells you how to unlock it. It seems that this part NEEDS to be recalled because it seems to be a very common problem. Called the dealership and asked about the part, they will not sell you the hot pink thing that is causing the problem, they gave me the the price of the gear shift for the tune of $179.00 part only, not including labor. This is a rip off to have to pay this much for a plastic part. The Dodge Corporation know this is a problems and they will not recall this part. Why would they have the gear shift in stock at the dealership if it was not a problem. Why would you put a plastic in this part of the car that you use more than any part.
- Joyce H., Shreveport, LA, US