89 Deville won't stay in gear.

Glen89Deville · #1 (**permalink**) 03-25-07, 03:38 PM

My wifes 89 Deville won't go in gear unless I keep shifting in and out of reverse until it catches and then it might go into drive or it might not. If it does, it will stay in gear until you come to a stop. Then it comes out again.
I can feel it shift everytime I put it in rev or drive but it won't pull so I have to keep shifting in and out of gear until it catches. Had the fluid and filter changed in January.
I found the procedure to check codes but the battery has been disconnected so all it showed was reset code. Right now I have all codes cleared through the climate control and cannot produce any new codes sitting in the driveway and putting in gear and letting it come out.
Not sure what to do next. She wants it fixed yesterday. HELP!!!

deville555 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-25-07, 10:16 PM

Have you checked the fluid (run through all the gears for a few seconds and put it in park and check it with the car running)? Have you tried driving in any of the manual low gears?

Glen89Deville · #3 (**permalink**) 03-26-07, 12:59 AM

I have checked the fluid several times and it reads full but I haven't tried running in lower gears. I can try that but what would I be looking for? While sitting in the driveway, once I got it into drive I did pull it down into each lower gear and revved it up a little and it did stay in gear until I put it back into drive and when it came back down to idle it disengaged.
I'll try driving in the lower gears today and see what happens, but if it disengages @ each stop sign it takes about 5 to 10 minutes before it will kick back in.

noahsdad · #4 (**permalink**) 03-26-07, 05:43 AM

How many miles? Does the trans feel more like it's slipping or is it actually switching back to neutral?

Try a slow run around the block in a lower gear. If it doesn't slip, it's probably the TV cable out of adjustment.

Glen89Deville · #5 (**permalink**) 03-26-07, 05:45 PM

OK, I just spent about 25 minutes going about 3 blocks and back. When the car is moving (15-20mph) as long as you don't let off accelerator it will stay in gear. If I let off it comes out and acts like it is slipping as it goes back in, but it will go back in, with a big jerk, if the car is moving. If I stop, it won't take off again, I have to keep shifting back and forth until it engages. Which might take 30 seconds or 10 minutes. Checked codes after driving and got E26 and E30. Any help is greatly appreciated, I'm not sure what to do with it.

deville555 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-26-07, 10:25 PM

P026 (E026) ......................................... Shorted Throttle Signal Switch
P030 (E030) .................................................. . ISC RPM out of range

Glen89Deville · #7 (**permalink**) 03-27-07, 02:12 AM

Could those codes have anything to do with the problem or are they a result of the problem? I have to do something about this or I'm going to be getting that frying pan and it won't be no smiley.

carnut · #8 (**permalink**) 03-27-07, 12:04 PM

With the hood up and your wife moving the shifter, watch the cable that attaches to the transmission below the brake booster, drivers side. That cable is secured by a plastic collar which could be unlatched or broken or the cable grommet could be missing. That would allow wasted motion when moving the shifter. I'm thinking the cable from the shifter is not moving the trans lever at the same time. A factory service manual would show how the cable is adjustable for length. Also the metal arm on the trans itself fits over a shaft and is retained with a nut. That could be loose or the metal arm could be worn out from being loose?