Saturn won't shift out of park on hot days

Tiny
PRARYMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 SATURN L200
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 74,000 MILES
Sometimes on Hot days my 2001 L200 will not shift out of park, it starts fine but won't shift out of park, and I noticed the security light flashing when this was happening intermittently. It only occurs on very hot days.
Thursday, June 9th, 2011 AT 3:32 AM

7 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
It sounds like your body control module is going bad really common for those to go bad on those cars. Usually you will door locks inop keyless entry inop fuel gauge inop no starts inside lights flashing etc. But I have seen them not going out of park the security light flashing.
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Thursday, June 9th, 2011 AT 3:47 AM
Tiny
PRARYMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
If that is the problem, why would it only be on hot days and be fine otherwise? This happened a couple of years ago and had not resurfaced till the other day, so if the module is bad, why did it keep working and why does it work when the temperature goes back down?
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Thursday, June 9th, 2011 AT 4:17 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
Because electronics fail at higher temps when they fail its a computer inside a hot car I have replaced so many of those I have lost count.I worked for saturn repairing cars for over 16yrs iam a factory trained saturn tech trust me when I give my opion on what I think is wrong with your car.I have seen those bcms fail over years time only acting up when hot cold etc even just every once in a while.I have also seen them fail without warning and the car justs gets towed in and won't start. Welcome to the wonderful electronics and computer world thats what makes the new cars harder to fix intermintant problems like that. Iam also a GM EV1 factory trained tech the full electric cars saturn used to sell. They had 7 computers over 500 trouble and when things failed would sometimes set like 50 codes in more then one computer. They also had 26 batteries that when they went bad were a pain figuring out which ones went bad.
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Thursday, June 9th, 2011 AT 5:07 AM
Tiny
PRARYMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
If it is like this on a hot day, what can you do to get it out of park, I don't want to be stranded someplace till I get this fixed. Is there a way to get it to go even if the thing is acting up?
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Thursday, June 9th, 2011 AT 1:26 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
As long as the bcm isn't keeping it from starting you can get it out of park and drive it. Take a small pocket screwdriver and pop up th shifter boot you will see a white lever/arm if you toggle that arm it will move out of park. If the bcm wont let it start though it wont do you any good over riding the bitsi solenoid like that. Your going to have to get it fixed soon no telling when it will leave you stranded some where. Also your going to have to take it to the dealer to get it replaced because it has to reprogramed with the correct mileage options etc.
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Thursday, June 9th, 2011 AT 7:04 PM
Tiny
AUNT
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
I agree body control module and you can remove the cover around shifter theres a white lever you can rig back but eventually your fuel pump, gauges, interior lights, alternator ac nothing will work you will be stranded my started with security light then shifter lock then fuel pump and all gauges even speedometer is definatly control module a very smart person answered before me take his advice and now from a woman he is correct
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Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 AT 2:07 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,757 POSTS
I wouldn't question Saturntech9. His Saturn answers are always "spot on".
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Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 AT 2:25 PM

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