Shifter Lock Solenoid?

ALEXISORTIZS01

MEMBER
2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
V6
AUTOMATIC
170,000 MILES

I own a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix. I have a few problems with my vehicle but no money as of right now to have it checked.

#1: My key will not come out of my ignition, and I am guessing because its not being read that it is in park.

#2: My center console was taken out because I was having trouble getting my shifter from park to drive. The latch that locks the shifter in gears is broken. It was snapped because the electrical part that is hooked to it (I don't know the name for this part, was told a SHIFT LOCK SOLENOID), was dead and I need a new one.
So we had pulled it out of lock with a zip tie for now and I have to hold the latch down manually while switching gears. I'm fine with that.

#3: After a few days of driving my car like this, I noticed when I got home one day that I could smell something similar to burnt rubber coming from my back tire. So I do not drive my car now. The smell is coming from my left back tire and I felt hot heat. As if something is rubbing. I'm thinking it has to do with my shifter not fully reading out of park.

Please let me know if the information I have so far is correct or if it is something different that is wrong. I am also wondering what the smell could be coming from. It only smell after driving.

I sent a image of the part needed.

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5 Replies

FREEMBA

MECHANIC
1,152 POSTS

It is very possible that you can find the shift interlock solenoid at one of those salvage yards where you take the part(s) off yourself. This way it would only be a few dollars (less that $10 in my area).

The burning smell from the rear seems to be a brake related problem (possible sticking brake caliper or wheel cylinder, which keeps the brakes applied on that wheel, thereby causing the burning smell as the wheel is forced to turn as you drive the car).

Check the brake pads/shoes on that side of the vehicle to see if they are worn.
An easier way to check for a sticking brake caliper or wheel cylinder is to raise the suspected wheel and spin it by hand (Kind of like on the wheel of fortune). It should spin several times before stopping.
If the caliper/wheel cylinder is sticking, the wheel will be hard to spin.

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Thursday, October 4th, 2018 AT 11:03 AM

BK6970

MEMBER
1 POST
2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
160,000 MILES

My car has stop shifting from park unless I press the shift lock release button beside the shifter. What could be the cause of this?

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Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020 AT 4:57 PM (Merged)

BLACKOP555

MECHANIC
10,371 POSTS

Is your brake lights working?

I would suspect the switch if the lights arnt working, but it could be the switch even if they are.

They are wired separetely in the same switch.

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Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020 AT 4:57 PM (Merged)

MARTIND2020

MEMBER
1 POST
2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
637,332 MILES

Hello how are you doing? Well here it is. I pulled up to my parking spot at work and put the car into park. I then turned off the car and the key and the ignition would only turn back halfway and I can not get the key out. So I pulled the console and I found one of my problems. At the bottom of the shifter their is solenoid. Some people told me it was a Park/Lock solenoid. The solenoid has a plug that has five wires going to it. I guess when I put it in park it cut all five wires. Leaving no plastic in the plug harness. I do have a Haynes repair manual, but it does not have a wire diagram for the plug on the solenoid. There will be a picture attached with this E-Mail. I will greatly appreciate any help you might have for me.

Thank You
Martin D.

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Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020 AT 4:57 PM (Merged)

JDL

MECHANIC
16,098 POSTS

Here is the wiring to the shift lock solenoid and a guide to help check the connections. Check out the diagrams (Below).

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Please let us know if you need anything else to get the problem fixed.

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