Lost parking gear

[towelsnap]

I'm on my phone in a panic . So I'll try to explain everything in detail . I own a 2006 gs automatic with 118,xxx kms . When my car is in park on any incline ( even mild) with no e brake (which I always use the wife doesn't)the car will roll in the direction of the hill . When the car rolls it's continuous and not just a little like an average car in park on a steep incline/decline .

On the dash no engine light or any issues , the icons for the gears "DO" light up so I'm kinda lost and this has put a massive damper on me buying another vehicle at this moment does any one have any ideas or thoughts . Some said they tranny could be locked , could be the parking pin I haven't taken the car to the dealership since I'm on nights and Mazda said they couldn't take it till Monday . All other gears seem to work fine any ideas ?

[Booter22]

Do all the other gears shift ok? could be the range switch or solenoid with tells the transmission from the position you have the shifter that the vehicle is in park.

[towelsnap]

All other gears appear to shift as normal . I can start the car in park like I normally do . I will check the levels in all fluids to make sure they are ok . But I've goggled the hell out of this and I seem to be the only one with this issue since all lights for the gears are working and the other gears seem fine :(

[towelsnap]

Even going to manual mode works fine no delays between gears no loss of power etc . So right now at work I've got the car in park with the e brake and blocks under my tires

[Fuyuzora]

Sounds to me like the parking pawl ("pin") finally failed, perhaps in part due to your wife's penchant for not using it (placing extra stress upon it?). If so, be happy that it failed in such a benign way, and didn't jam in place, preventing you from taking it out of "Park".

Either way, let us know how the diagnosis turns out... Hopefully it won't break the bank.

[Cab0oze]

From what I seem to remember reading/being told, the 'Park' on an automatic transmission puts a pin or something in the gears so they dont move. This 'pin' can be broken (for example if someone hits your car). This is why you should aways use your ebrake. Now dont trust me 100% on this, but use google and see if this rings any bells there.

[towelsnap]

Thanks I'm hoping the pin it's cheap but a long time to access and replace and $85/hr for labour :s

So my question is if it is the pin should I be ok driving it for the next four days till I'm off?

[sarujo]

+1 sounds like parking pins in the trans to me as well. Get in the habit of putting on the hand brake first and then letting the weight settle on that and THEN put the gear shifter into park. This way you keep the weight off the pins.


Sounds to me like the parking pawl ("pin") finally failed, perhaps in part due to your wife's penchant for not using it (placing extra stress upon it?). If so, be happy that it failed in such a benign way, and didn't jam in place, preventing you from taking it out of "Park".

Either way, let us know how the diagnosis turns out... Hopefully it won't break the bank.

[towelsnap]

Sounds exactly like the parking pawl according to google it's a $3.57 part lol but how much in labour lol

[Gizzmo_jr]

Gotta crack open the transmission pan and everything, so you'll be doing a fluid flush too. Gasket...etc etc

[TheMAN]

Sounds to me like the parking pawl ("pin") finally failed, perhaps in part due to your wife's penchant for not using it (placing extra stress upon it?). If so, be happy that it failed in such a benign way, and didn't jam in place, preventing you from taking it out of "Park".

Either way, let us know how the diagnosis turns out... Hopefully it won't break the bank.
+1

sounds like the park pawl broke

I certainly hope this is a good example and lesson to everyone that you should ALWAYS use the e-brake... stories of vans packed full of kids rolling down a ravine because the parents out sight seeing forgot to set the e-brake is scary enough!
the park pawl is usually no larger than your pinky finger... you're holding 2800lbs of steel with this tiny piece of metal! So many ignorant fools out there trusting this little piece of metal every day!

and did I mention that your motor mounts get worn out sooner because you're putting a load against them every time you park without the e-brake?

don't forget, if your e-brake doesn't work properly, get it adjusted! A barely working e-brake is just as bad as no e-brake! Same goes to those who gently pull the handle up because they "baby" their cars.... you never put enough tension/force on the brakes! Yank that handle up with one swift move but without any excessive force, that's the only way to do it!

[towelsnap]

So in other words matt I'm looking at 1200+?

[TheMAN]

answering the question for him, it sounds like it... I just looked at the tranny shop manual and the parking pawl is located deep inside it... to get to it, it requires splitting the case open and removing the differential and some of the other gears

if it were me, I'd just keep driving with it like this until it really dies and use the e-brake always

[r4BBiT]

I'm on my phone in a panic . So I'll try to explain everything in detail . I own a 2006 gs automatic with 118,xxx kms . When my car is in park on any incline ( even mild) with no e brake (which I always use the wife doesn't)the car will roll in the direction of the hill . When the car rolls it's continuous and not just a little like an average car in park on a steep incline/decline .

On the dash no engine light or any issues , the icons for the gears "DO" light up so I'm kinda lost and this has put a massive damper on me buying another vehicle at this moment does any one have any ideas or thoughts . Some said they tranny could be locked , could be the parking pin I haven't taken the car to the dealership since I'm on nights and Mazda said they couldn't take it till Monday . All other gears seem to work fine any ideas ?

Like everyone else said, it's definitely the park pin. I always use parking brake in all of my car, even on flat surfaces, it is just force of habit. My wife never used to, but when I bought her new benz I had to scare her that she HAS to put parking brake every time, even on flat surfaces. She at first didn't believe me, so I showed her car manual where it clearly stated that "P" position is not to hold the car and parking brake must ALWAYS be used.

[alho]

answering the question for him, it sounds like it... I just looked at the tranny shop manual and the parking pawl is located deep inside it... to get to it, it requires splitting the case open and removing the differential and some of the other gears

if it were me, I'd just keep driving with it like this until it really dies and use the e-brake always

If the pin is really broken, is it just floating around somewhere inside the tranny?