[Karl84]

Hi,

I have a 2007 Dakota with a 3.7L engine and an automatic transmission. The truck drives great but with the console shifter I cannot shift into Park or 1st gear. Does anyone know what could be causing this?

Thanks

 

[key99]

Lots of durango info in this nightmare (final outcome is at/near the end)

http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=480489

 

[Karl84]

I don't think its the same problem.

On the dash the gears I believe are in the order: P R N D 1.
I can get the shifter to the right position for Park and the truck is still in reverse. If I shake the shifter a little it goes out of Reverse but won't engage in Park, the key comes out from this position. When I put the key back in the truck is in reverse and I have to shift to Neutral to start the truck.

I also can't shift into 1st at the other end.

 

[DodgeCACares]

Hi,

I have a 2007 Dakota with a 3.7L engine and an automatic transmission. The truck drives great but with the console shifter I cannot shift into Park or 1st gear. Does anyone know what could be causing this?

Thanks

Karl84,

I'm sorry to hear about your shifting issue.

Is this issue intermittent, or is it now always present? When the truck is turned off, is it left in neutral with the emergency brake on?

In some cases, an issue with the shift linkage can result in difficulty selecting the desire gear. Are there any fault codes present?

 

[Karl84]

The issue is always present and has been there for about 5 months. I recently got the truck from a family member when the engine died(camshaft bearing caps snapped on one side and did some damage). I have another engine in it and am now trying to figure out what the shifting problem is.

I can shift the truck into Park easily if I go under the truck and pull the shifter cable a little more.

I just don't know why the cable won't go to Park or 1st. If it was stretched it should still be able to get one of them. Is the shifter cable just a simple cable or more complex than that?

 

[key99]

Being that it won't shift into either extreme, sounds like something is loose, or too much play(bushing? worn or broke/fell out); or cable housing "unsecured" at either end.

 

[Karl84]

I haven't been using the truck much because I like my motorcycle in the summer but was in it tonight and the shifter seemed way stiffer than normal and then got stuck in drive on a short drive into the garage. So it looks like I'm going to just be replacing the shifter cable unless anyone knows something else that would cause this.

 

[DodgeCACares]

The issue is always present and has been there for about 5 months. I recently got the truck from a family member when the engine died(camshaft bearing caps snapped on one side and did some damage). I have another engine in it and am now trying to figure out what the shifting problem is.

I can shift the truck into Park easily if I go under the truck and pull the shifter cable a little more.

I just don't know why the cable won't go to Park or 1st. If it was stretched it should still be able to get one of them. Is the shifter cable just a simple cable or more complex than that?

Karl84,

A more formal diagnosis may be required in order to determine the root cause or the current status of the shift cable.