Hello all,
I have a 2001 Honda Accord LX 4 cyclinder. About a week or so ago I noticed that every now and then when I start my car and go to shift out of park, the release button on the shift doesn't want to depress (yes, I am pressing my brake). It doesn't do it all the time, but when it does do it, it is very annoying. Any suggestions or tips will be apprecieated. Thanks in advance.

Chad

 

welcome to the forum! If you have someone else with you the next time that it happens have them get out and watch your brake lights. If they aren't coming on then I'd say it's your brake sensor not working properly... If it fails to register that your foot is on the brake it's not going to release and if this is the case I don't believe your brake lights will come on...

 

Thanks alot sir nasty for the quick reply. I'll check on that. If that's what it is, would you have any idea how difficult that would be to change myself? Thanks again.

Chad

 

I'll have to try this at home, but I don't think that's it. If the brake switch is bad, it's just like you didn't step on the brakes. In other words, you CAN press in the little button but the lever is still locked.

If the button does press in, then it's like nasty says. I think the switch isn't too hard, it's just up above the hinge for the brake pedal.

 

if you find the just button may be faulty check out www.tasauto.com ... theyve got replacements for everything and more

 

if you cannot depress the button on the shifter lever,, it is not a brake switch issue.. it is a shifter lever issue,, ( dirty, binding, )

if you can depress the button but cannot get car out of park.. First off chk fuse # 47 20 amps in the underhood fuse box,, make sure it is not a loose connection,,,
If fuse is ok..
under the dash above the brake pedal ,, that's where the brake switch is,, unplug the connector to the switch and jump the white /yellow and white/black wires together if you can shift you got a bad switch..

 

Thanks again for all of the replies. I really appreciate them.

Chad

 

Let us know what the problem was. Or what you find with these checks. Sometimes there's other things we can suggest after you rule out our first ideas.

Like maybe a rusty shift cable that's stuck in it's housing. Or even the little latch mechanism inside the shift lever can break or come apart. We can't totally diagnose this stuff over the net; YOU have to check the stuff before we can suggest what to do next.

 

another thing that i have seen quit a few times is people spilling SODAS in the console,, the sugar in the soda , gums everything up to make it harder to shift

 

Hey guys,
Well, knock on wood. It has been working fine the past few days. I checked the brake lights like sir nasty suggested and they seem to be working fine. I have noticed that when it the **** doesn't want to depress to take the car out of park, if I keep my brake pedal pressed for a couple of seconds I will be able to press the button.