My column shifter started to get difficult to shift the lever from "D" towards N. Everything else worked fine. Before i could tear into it, it "fixed" itself. the hard part from D to N is gone but now there is no "detent" or catch to go from N to D.

I took the cover off and the metal thing with the "dogs" or what ever looks OK and intact. Under that is a little thing with a torx screw it it about 1/4" wide by 2/3" long. It jiggles and looks like it should do something ut it just sits there when going from P to 1 & vice-versa. Anybody ever dealt with this before?

Of course I forgot to take pictures. None of my manuals show the column in this detail and I can't find an exploded drawing either.

 

Its very possible your problem is with the detent assemble on the valve body inside the transmission. There is a spring and ball assemble that sometimes fails and also the shifter arm gets loose on the shaft that it mounts to. Try disconecting your shifter at the tranny and they shift the arm by hand to see how it "feels". You will have to pull the valve body to repair it though!

 

I'll check that. Now it won't start sometimes and I have to throw the shifter back and forth. Guess the whole thing is out of whack now too.

 

The manual says it has some ears or legs or something. I've never taken it out. Could this be broken? If so would you "feel" it in the shift lever?