Pretty sure it doesn't have to do with the brake interlock or the thumb button because it feels completely different.

The lever moves just as it always has between all other gears.

But just in the past few days, moving into or out of park there is very heavy friction over that first/last inch of travel.

It came up suddenly and is getting progressively worse.

It *feels* like the friction is in the shifter mechanism itself. There's no cable play as though the problem were in the tranny.

I've done some searching but haven't found anybody discussing this type of case.

Any help?

 

Quick follow-up. I just stuck a spare key in the release to rule it out as a problem. No difference, but I noticed the lever was *very* difficult to move back into Park. Whatever is causing this seems to be getting worse very quickly.

 

You will need to determine if the problem is with the mechanism of the lever inside the car, **** cable connecting the lever to the transmission, or shift control mechanism inside the transmission.

I'd remove the console between the seats and look for something obvious inside the car. You could also try removing the shift cable from the transmission to see if you still have the problem.

There is also an adjustment of the shift cable that you may want to check.

This information is in the accord shop manual. You can get a 94 shop manual from the common diy link on top of the gen tech help forum. The 94 accord is almost identical to the 96.