2001 Limited trans wont shift

[jrw1621]

2001 Montero Limited w/ 217k miles.

Pre-covid, I had an issue where it was very stiff to shift the auto trans into Park. I sent it off to a shop who replaced the shifter cable.
I drove the car a total of 400 miles after that repair, then the ability to shift the car into Park became difficult again. So much so difficult that I could not get the car to recognize that it was in P. Also, the car would not recognize that it was in D. All I had was a hard ability to move it to R and with some wiggling and rocking of the shifter, the ability to get it into N. When the shift lever is moved to R the car will really move backwards.

Since I could only get the car to N, I could start and stop the car but when turning off the car in N, then no ability to remove the key. As such, the car has sat for 18 months or so with the key in the ignition and I disconnected the battery. Today, for the first time since the time when it happened I farted around with the car again. A jump start brings the engine right back to life! Overall, no improvement with the ability to move the shift lever.

So, this gets me to thinking the problem might be internal transmission. So, I went to car-part.com to see about used transmissions. The site asks if the Montero 5 speed auto transmission is in a car built before Nov '00 or after. Mine was built before in Sept '00. The key question I have for this posting is:

What is the difference between a pre-Nov trans and a post-Nov trans?

I ask because the closest, very good offered trans is a post-Nov but my Montero Limited is pre-Nov.

 

[ChrisCosta416]

It is more than likely not the transmission, possibly the shifter linkage bushing

 

[Inyo_man]

Are you able to retrieve any codes?

 

[jrw1621]

I have a code reader but it is throwing no codes. The truck was towed to the shop because of hard to move shift lever. New cable installed and all was back to perfect operation. 400 miles later of mostly in town driving and the lever is stiff again. It is hard to pull the lever back and hard to push the lever forward. It seems the lever will not engage P and lever will not engage D.

 

[Michael Brown]

Have you checked the transmission fluid level? There is a dipstick next to the one for the engine. This should not affect the actual movement of the lever, but will affect the ability of the system to disengage the park pawl.

There are also 2 cables for the AT shifter in the Limited/5-speed models. 1 is for moving the position P-R-N-D, and the other is the lock connected to the button to prevent accidental shifting. Do you know if they replaced both cables? MR581204 (24906 below) seems to be the gear selector cable. MR410834 (24115) should be the lock cable.
If the lock cable is broken, or not moving, then you will be fighting the safety lock to get the shifter to move.

 

[Michael Brown]

The FSM (grab one from my link if you don't have one) shows that the shifter cable goes from the shift lever to the transmission housing. The lock cable goes to the brake pedal and steering column. Steering angle must be appropriate and the brake must be pressed to release the lock function with the button. I would check all of these connections on the cables. Disconnect them and make sure they move freely when you move the lever.
See pages 23Aa-30 to 23Aa-35 in the 03 factory service manual.

 

[jrw1621]

Wow, great info on the second cable for lock. I have visual proof that the P-R-N-D cable, 24906, was replaced as evident by this under truck pic.


I have no evidence that the shiftlock cable, 24115 was replaced. I will agree that it requires a hard grasp of the lock lever to move the lever at all. And then, once the shift lock is "defeated" the lever is hard to move away from the P position any farther than N. This could imply that the it is never really unlocked or at least that the cable is bound hard enough to keep it from freely unlocking. Also, once the lever is moved to N it is hard to get the lever back to P.

My receipt from shop is brief in detail with just cable replaced but it certainly doesn't say two cables replaced.

I am now on a new mission for finding cable #2. Any recommended places to purchase from? Does anyone know the "book shop hours" for replacement of this cable? If huge, I might tackle it myself. Like many things, the repair is something I can do but not always something I can find time to do.

Super thanks Michael Brown!

 

[jrw1621]

After reading this of second cable and since working from home, I went out an looked the Montero over. I shot this video in which the shift lock seems to come off. Since you are all smarter than me, I though a quick video might help. Do you think the problem could still be the shift lock cable?

Youtube Video

 

[dpspc9]

My previous Montero did this, especially after driving in rain. Spray the linkage on the trans with WD-40. In your photo, focus on the center bolt on that rusty L shaped bracket. Spray the bolt face and get behind the bracket. Get in and start working the shifter to get the oil to penetrate and loosen things up. I put up with a stiff shifter for months, it never occurred again after wd40.

 

[Michael Brown]

I would check the bracket on the transmission. Just remove the cable where that nut is and move the lever by hand. If stiff there, I would try the WD-40 as mentioned.

Watched the video.
There is also an adjustment procedure on page 23Aa-25 of the FSM.
The PRND light is following the movement of the lever inside the transmission, not your control lever.
Therefore, you are getting the shifter into position, but the cable movement is not aligned to have the inside lever at the same position.
The end of the cable is slotted so that you can adjust the total movement of the cable.

TRANSMISSION CONTROL CABLE ADJUSTMENT
1. Move the selector lever to the "N" position.
2. Loosen the upper control lever adjusting nut.
3. Check that the transmission range switch is at "N" position.
4. Adjust the upper control lever so that there is no slackness
or excessive tightness in the transmission control cable, and
then tighten the adjusting nut to the specified torque.
Tightening torque: 23 ± 4 N⋅m (17 ± 3 ft-lb)
5. Check that the transmission operation and functioning in
each position corresponds accurately to the position of the
selector lever.


FYI, the wrong cable can also cause problems.