NOW CALLED BTSI by USA FED. " brake transmission solenoid interlock"
If you are here because the A/T transmission will not move out of park, there are 2 main reasons,
One is parking wrong, or the service hand brake is dead or very weak, (lack of service ,rear brakes)
Page 49 in the operators guide warns of this condition.
This happens on hills or wheels jammed hard in to a curb.(nose of car down hill)
This happens when you use PARK before the hand brake, and causes the parking pawl in the transmission to jam solid. ( some times towing car backwards, 3 inches works to free this condition.)
Imagine 2000-4000 lbs car weight forces, against this tiny lock , deep inside the transmission. (same can happen to the steering lock, wheels jammed to curbs)
End Park Pawl jam up. (I call this SanFrancisco disease)
See last photo this page to see, mechanical details of this unlocking lever. hidden."emerg. release"
Now the words in the same book page 50 on park lockout. The super secret park lockout bypass device, (the access port looks different on the 3 speed but works the same)
Do this when the brake lamps are dead, or fuse blown ("stop-horn" fuse) or brake switch bad.end operators guide facts, and review.
Symptoms: how to fix the Park lock out FEATURE, failures)
Key on.
Depress Brake Pedal.
You can not shift from Park to any other gears (positions). SLS failure ! Shift Lock Soleniod.
In 2010 (by the way) the FED DOT NHTSA made the bypass (secret lever) obsolete (illegal ) via this anti-theft reg. FMVSS section 114, chapter 5.2.4.
The Propose of this feature (Park lock) is to prevent soccer mom's from driving over kids, pets ,etc... (see Audi lawsuits )
There can be 4 major fail paths:
- Mechancial failure of the shifter , its cable or adjusted so badly that the PN switch on side of tranny never gets to park position.
- Mechical fail of the shift lock solenoid mechanism.
- Electrical fail. (including the 2 popped open fuses, the fuse is blown seen below)
- Ignition cable interlock failure. (see page 16 in
FSM) [ Suz calls this INTERLOCK CABLE ]
The first drawing gets the most cars out there with problems.
89-95: Drawing 1, click to zoom.
Those VIN codes are GM only. for engine options. Suzuki uses vin 0 for both engines, so you buy the wrong parts. (sarc)
To see 96 drawing look here for 97 look here. 98 will be almost the same.
Tests:
Key on, brake on, that above Shift Lock Solenoid (SLS) must be energized, pulled in. If not it is failing.
If it does energize (pull in) and shifter does not move out of park, then the problem, is before your eyes, the Solenoid linkage is bent or broken.
Not energizing? the SLS.
One way to troubleshoot this is to connect a test light or voltmeter across the Shift lock solenoid.
Now Key ON, brake on, does the lamp glow or VM show 12vdc ?
Yes, then the solenoid is bad.
NO?, then the problem is upstream electric. (or shift linkage mis-adjusted , or on that later.)
Now ground the test light or VM , I will say VM now for either way (VoltMeter or test light) , using the other VM lead connect it to Pin 2 of the SLS. Orange.
Step on brake and Key on and this node must be less than 0.5vdc 1/2v.
Yes, then the PN switch is working
No , then adjust the shifter linkage or replace the PN switch on the side of the tranny if pin 2 reads 12vdc or near.
We have zero volts at pin 2 SLS !
Next put the meter to pin 1 on the SLS green wire, again Key ON, brake on and see this node rise to 12v.
Yes, then solenoid is bad or its linkage is bad.
No, the move this VM lead (red) to Pin 2 of the Park shift lock relay pin 2. Blue/Black wire.
This node is 12vdc Key on, all the time. if not the Fuse is blown or the connections on this node are open.
If this node is at 12v then move the red VM lead to the pin 1 of the relay. Green/white. This node goes to 12vdc any time the brake pedal is depressed (key on or off).
if not the fuse is blown or the brake switch is bad.
Check both sides of the brake switch to ground and see it fail, with the VM.
12vdc input all the time (green)(for safety) an goes to 12vdc on the output green/white when brake is depressed.
No power 12v out of the brake switch with pedal depressed can be a bad switch or bad ajustment on the switch , it is adjustable. see jam nut?, is this loose?
The above colors work for most pre 96 cars. for other car colors click the link above for your year. and translate the colors above.
Notice carefully some years are missing the Shift lock relay and the paths are much more simple.
If all the above works and the lever is still stuck then check out the Igniton key switch shift lock cable ! (it might be snapped , this cable)
See page 18 and 19 below. (pdf page#) for Shift lock cable info.
Adjusting the Tranny Shifter linkage cable end. (so park is really park)
Here are all the tranny external adjustments.
page 16 page 17 page 18 page 19 and Page 20. (all points in this path and function)
You can buy a full FSM on Ebay for $20 "Search : Geo Tracker factory Service Manual" Vast numbers of used books. why guess? , get the real thing.
The shifter, 3sp, 4sp is slightly diff.
