I was happy to hear Kevin’s question this morning about her 1998 Honda Civic that’s difficult to put into park.
I have the same problem with my 2000 Civic (which has only 67K miles on it, but is also automatic). I’ve also wondered if it was accumulated spilled coffee, or the beginning of transmission problems. Mine only sticks moving from neutral into park (Drive to Neutral is smooth and easy). I’m wondering if the lower mileage and the clarification on where sticking happens might make any difference in the diagnostics? (It seems off that coffee would only get sticky at that one point in the gear casings…)
I see two things that could cause the problem one way but not the other, in one circumstance you are pushing the cable and another you are pulling the cable, then there is the park pawl engagement that you are not dealing with in the drive to neutral condition. I do see that your drive to neutral movement would be moving the cable in the same way so perhaps your condition is entirely related to the park pawl addition.