# Stuck gear shift

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/stuck-gear-shift/25688>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** transmissions\
**Created:** [January 28, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stuck-gear-shift/25688 "2009-01-28T02:19:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![andrewtom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@andrewtom](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrewtom)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stuck-gear-shift/25688/1 "2009-01-28T02:19:27Z")

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my 1995 Subaru Impreza sedan gear lever has a button that must be depressed fully before the lever can be moved into gear and in the mornings the button will not depress fully does anyone have a fix for this problem?

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 3:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stuck-gear-shift/25688/2 "2009-01-28T03:50:06Z")

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First check the switch that is activated by pushing down on the brake pedal (you’ll need to crawl under the dash & get a good look at the pedal - there’s a switch there somewhere that gets pushed).

Then you can also look for a fuse - it might actually be the brake light fuse as the switch that allows you to shift & the brake light switch are often the same.

But…the most likely problem is that there is probably a solenoid down near the shifter that is sticking because of the cold. You may need to pull the shift console apart and see if you can clean the connections and/or the solenoid.

There is also often a manual override - look for a little hole in the shift console near the shifter (it might have a small trim plug over it that you need to pop out). If you find it, stick something long & skinny down into the hole and this should manually free up the button.