Do you own a Chrysler 300, Dodge Magnum or Dodge Charger?

[Capbyrd]

If so, you might one day find that you are unable to shift out of park. If this happens to you, it is because the mechanism to keep the shifter from moving when the key is out of the ignition is broken. The mechanism is a little pink plastic arm with a hook on it. A spring connects to the shifter housing a the hook. The spring is stronger than the plastic and will eventually break it off.

There are a couple of ways to deal with it. The first is to modify the broken arm by drilling a hole in it and putting a cotter pin through or some sort of wire. Bailing wire, floral wire, aircraft wire are just a few options.

The second way is to buy a new shifter assembly from Chrysler. They do not sell the plastic piece by itself. This is not a recommended fix simply because the new shifter will still have the plastic arm and it will eventually break again.

The third and best way is to find an aftermarket manufacturer that makes replacements from billet aluminum. They are much cheaper than a new shifter assembly and will outlast the plastics.

"How do I know all of this?" you might ask. Well, yesterday, a coworker's friend called her explaining that she was stuck at home and she asked if I could help. I said sure and did a little research. After work, I went over and took a look. Sure enough, it was the broken plastic hook thingy (technical term). I rigged hers up using floral wire and it will keep her on the road until the replacement aluminum piece arrives in a few days.

If anyone does have one of these cars and needs more details, feel free to ask. I am only posting this because I know that they are extremely popular cars and from my research, this is an extremely common problem.

Happy motoring!

[Links2k]

I have a 300. They are good looking pieces of .

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

I don't have one...

[Capbyrd]

I have a 300. They are good looking pieces of .

If you ever have this problem, hit me up. I can save you a lot of money.

[Westwindmike]

How about some pics?

[Capbyrd]

I didn't take any last night when I was doing this so I have to refer to the pics that I used. Taking the shifter out of the car is pretty straight-forward. You will need a knife or flat head screwdriver, 10mm socket with at least a 6 inch extension and an 8mm socket.

Once out, you can see in this picture the little pink arm and you can see where the hook broke off.

Here is a picture of the hook and the spring.

This picture is of the shifter assembly taken apart. You can see a hole in the front of the box where a tab goes through. There is the one on the front and one on each side.

These pictures highlight the problem part.

I fixed the one I looked at in a manner similar to this as a temporary solution.

And here is a picture of the plastic thingy back in place.

[Armed Aviator]

I remember renting a kobalt when I experienced this very problem. The d%$n thing wouldn't shift out of park. Ipulled out the manual. there is an access hole on the side that you stick your finger in which allows you to get out of park. What a P.O.S. That right there was enough to convince me that I don't want to own an OBAMA Motors Chrysler product. I meant Caliber . . . Sorry. . . my bad.

Edited July 14, 2010 by Armed Aviator

[Guest db99wj]

I remember renting a kobalt when I experienced this very problem. The d%$n thing wouldn't shift out of park. Ipulled out the manual. there is an access hole on the side that you stick your finger in which allows you to get out of park. What a P.O.S. That right there was enough to convince me that I don't want to own an OBAMA Motors Chrysler product

Kobalt is a chevy.

[Capbyrd]

I remember renting a kobalt when I experienced this very problem. The d%$n thing wouldn't shift out of park. Ipulled out the manual. there is an access hole on the side that you stick your finger in which allows you to get out of park. What a P.O.S. That right there was enough to convince me that I don't want to own an OBAMA Motors Chrysler product

Yep. The lever that you push is on the side of the top of the shifter assembly. You can see it in pictures 1 & 3 above. The problem is, that button won't always work when it gets to this point. I tried that first and it didn't work.

[Armed Aviator]

Kobalt is a chevy.

I meant Caliber . . . Sorry

[Il Duce]

Its a Chrysler which means is automatically a piece of shyt

[Guest db99wj]

I love my Chrysler product.

[Guest Ranger Rick]

I've got a 300 that my daughter drives. thanks so much for the heads up. short of taking it apart... is the temp fix to get home with? can the cover be taken off the console enough to get to engage the pink problematic part? BTW... great pics!!

[Capbyrd]

You can get to most of it without having to take the whole thing apart. But I don't know if you can get to it enough to get it driving. I honestly just didnt try it. However, you can try removing the rubber insert to the right of the shifter and sticking your hand through the hole there. There is a little tab that you can push in. That is supposed to disengage the lock and let you shift. I was unsuccessful when I tried this but I was planning to take everything apart anyways so I may not have pushed hard enough.

[Guest db99wj]

All cars nowadays have these lock mechanisms to protect against accidental shifting into gear, I would bet that the company that makes this assembly sells to most of the manufactures. Quality goes down hill when the cheapest supplier is picked. I'm afraid/wondering if because of the hard times in the automotive world we have had over the last several years, if we all, that have bought new cars/trucks will start seeing lots of smile PIA failures due to cheap parts manufacturers.

[Retired Navy GMC]

Is there a year range for this problem?

The reason I ask is because I recently bought my daughter a 2009 Charger for her to take to college.

Great pics by the way.

Thanks

[Capbyrd]

Sorry Mate. I do not know the year range but I know that it includes at least 06-08.

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

Is there a year range for this problem?

The reason I ask is because I recently bought my daughter a 2009 Charger for her to take to college.

Great pics by the way.

Thanks

Any room for a son?