Could a Gear Shifter Cover burn out an ignition solenoid?

Maintenance/Repairs
,
21

Is there a different solenoid which prevents the key from being turned all the way off if the car is not in park?

22

But, it is very likely that it is putting pressure on the release button, and that this is activating the solenoid.

1 Like
23

Solenoids are for intermittent actuation, if the shift cover keeps the solenoid energized, it will burn it out.

2 Likes
24

I understand. But I thought the button on the shifter was a mechanical deal, and the actual solenoid was activated by the brake switch.

25

I do not know about the OPs car. To shift from Park mine requires both
brake and button on shifter to be depressed.

1 Like
26

Yep. Older cars (well, some newer ones too, I think) had that redundancy where you had to have both the brake and the knob switch pressed in order to move the shift lever out of park.

That solenoid can be activated absent the brake switch if the shift lever is already out of park. Some shifters will prevent you from shifting down to D1 or 2 without pressing the shifter, but you donā€™t have to be braking to go into D1 or 2.

27

IIRC, that button is to open the reverse lock gate. Itā€™s purely mechanical and it allows the shifter to go through reverse to park or park to neutral and drive. The solenoid is activated anytime the ignition is on and the shifter is in park.

Iā€™m thinking that your solenoid is not burning up but that the switch that is activated when the stick is in park is slightly out of adjustment and the cover my be holding the button down enough to allow the stick to slip slightly into the reverse gate. Iā€™d say donā€™t use the cover or cut a hole in the cover so that it does not interfere with the button.

1 Like