1999 Elantra Won't Shift Out Of Park (Automatic)
 

So the 1999 Hyundai Elantra is my mother-in-law's car but I thought I'd ask for some help for her ...

This is something I've found some brief comments about online but no real answers thus far (seems to be a reoccuring "Hyundai - Thing" ...

Anyways, we live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and sometimes, the vehicle will not move out of park. The automatic shift is into the floor and the button will not engage fully to allow the shift to occur.
After waiting (and jiggling) the shifter around, it engages and the driver can leave.

She tells me that it's happening more often now that there's some warmer weather (Spring / Summer) and it rarely happened in the winter.
This isn't something that happens all the time but definitely a number of times during the week now.

Again, it's in park (no safety brake applied) and it will not shift out of park. Sometimes, she waits 10-20 minutes and tries again and magically, it works. The parking is all on level roads, no inclines.

I'm thinking its some sort of linkage problem that hopefully the dealer can identify but it would be nice to hear from those that have had similar problems or have an idea of what it might be. She's already taken the car to the dealer once to diagnose the problem and it was not fixed.
Thanks for the help.

Is she putting her foot on the brake when trying to shift out of park? The shifter is designed to stay locked in park unless the driver has the brake depressed.

LOL Yes, she's aware of that.
Like I said, this is a problem that was already attempted to be solved at the dealership (not sure what was said, I'll have to ask) but at this point, especially when the warmer weather arrives (like the car is sitting in heat) it gives her trouble.

It did it again last night, where she would jiggle and jiggle the shifter for about 30 minutes until it clicked into place and allowed her to shift and drive away.

The shift interlock senses if your foot is on the brake with the brake light switch. Maybe that is going bad. Also check the shifter itself and see if the interlock solenoid is sticking.

http://www.hmaservice.com/data/Passe...G/X45-053A.gif

- START the engine
- Press the brake pedal
- Press the shift release button to move the shift lever.

NOTE: If the customer applies pressure on the shift lever before depressing the brake pedal, the shift lever may bind and not release from Park.

If the condition is confirmed, please follow the service procedure shown below.

SERVICE PROCEDURE:
- Check the following fuses in the dash fuse box (located on the left kick panel under the steering column): #3 Stop Lamp, #9 Backup Lamp, #14 ATM Interlock.
- Replace the fuse if it is blown.

- Locate the A/T shift lock module under the dash:
http://www.hmaservice.com/files/331/...6/9940017b.jpg

- Test the stop lamp switch:Probe the green (G) wire on the backside of the connector to the A/T shift and key lock control module with a voltmeter positive lead. (It may be necessary to use a pin or paperclip to probe the wire.) Connect the negative lead to ground. Test the stop lamp switch as shown below:
http://www.hmaservice.com/files/331/...6/9940017c.jpg

1. Turn the ignition key to the "ON" position and move the shift lever to "P" = 0 volts

2. Depress the brake pedal = 11-13 volts

If the voltage is correct, go to step 4

If the voltage is incorrect, replace the stop lamp switch or repair the wiring. Go to step 4.

3. Test the A/T shift lock solenoid:

Probe the red/green (R/G) wire on the backside of the connector to the A/T shift and key lock control module with a voltmeter positive lead. Connect the negative lead to ground. Test the A/T shift lock solenoid as shown below:

4. Turn the ignition key to the "ON" position and move the shift lever to "P" = 11-13 volts

5. Depress the brake pedal = 0-1 volts

If the voltage is correct, go to step 6

If the voltage is incorrect, replace the A/T shift lock solenoid or repair the wiring. Go to step 6

6. Test the park position switch:

Probe the red (R) wire on the backside of the connector to the A/T shift and key lock control module with a voltmeter positive lead. Connect the negative lead to ground.

7. Turn the ignition key to the "ON" position and move the shift lever to "P" - 0 volts

8. Depress the brake pedal and move the shift lever to "R" = 11-13 volts

If the voltage is correct, go to step 9

If the voltage is incorrect, replace the park position switch or repair the wiring. Go to step 9.

9. If the above components test within specification, replace the A/T shift and key lock control module.

Wow, that's a lot of thorough information I'm going to have to go through with her ...
I'll be sure to print it off and create a checklist. Hopefully I'll have a successful follow-up.

Thanks again!

I know this is an old thread but I'm having a similar problem on a 1999 Elantra. Sometimes it won't come out of park and sometimes it will. I followed the service procedure and found that when I'm probing the green wire at the control module and I depress the brake pedal to test the stop lamp switch I will receive 10.6. When I probe the green wire at the connector to the stop lamp switch (not the control module) and depress the brake pedal I receive 11.3. The brake lights work and I get the same voltage no matter if it is intermittently working or not.. Do you still think it is the stop lamp switch? I was leaning towards the control module because of the 11.3 at the stop lamp switch.

I already replaced the solenoid with a new one because it would not drop to 0-1 volts when testing. It still doesn't drop to 0-1 volts unless it starts to work intermittently and then it will.

Thanks
Ryan