# Gear shift moves freely won’t start

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/gear-shift-moves-freely-won-t-start/129079>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [November 18, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gear-shift-moves-freely-won-t-start/129079 "2018-11-18T16:50:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bradley\_Street](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Bradley\_Street](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bradley_Street)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gear-shift-moves-freely-won-t-start/129079/1 "2018-11-18T16:50:51Z")

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So I was putting the car in park and killed the car. The transmission never fully went into park before I killed the car. The car is stuck in neutral. Moves freely. Can’t start the car at all. You can move gear shift freely without key in ignition. Any ideas?

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**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 6:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gear-shift-moves-freely-won-t-start/129079/2 "2018-11-18T18:01:15Z")

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Something came loose in the linkage between your hand and the transmission. It could be inside the cabin, under the center console, or underneath the car below the shift lever or at the transmission itself.  
Whatever it is, it’s preventing the neutral safety switch from working, therefore preventing the starter motor from turning on.

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**Author:** ![Bradley\_Street](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Bradley\_Street](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bradley_Street)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gear-shift-moves-freely-won-t-start/129079/3 "2018-11-18T19:01:49Z")

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Chevy Malibu 2005