Automatic "T" bar button broken

[beej8508]

Today, the button on the T bar shift lever quit working.  I have neutral and drive available to me...but without the spring for the button I cant get the transmission to go into reverse..park, 2nd and 1st gear.

How do I tear it apart? I can't see any screws that hold the black plastic parts together. 

What generally causes this to happen?

Thanks!!

[priya]

put the transmission into 1 if it'll go, in not 2 or D.  Get into the back seat and grab the plastic handle and pull up and back real hard.  There's a groove in the round bar and a rib on the platic handle that slots into it.   I didn't have the strenght to pull off my T-handle so my husband had to do it for me.

I know on most of these the spring loses tension and the button sticks in but when that happens you can normally put it in all positions.  Perhaps the cable is broken that connects the lever the button pushes to the detent rack down on the trans tunnel under the shifter bezel.  Or maybe the lever the button pushes on is broken.  Anyway, after you get the t-handle off you can see the lever and if its okay, if it is remove the shifter bezel and you should be able to see how it works and figure out what's wrong from there.  You should be able to remove the detent mechanism altogether for a workable, if a little crude, fix.

[midtownboarder]

put the transmission into 1 if it'll go, in not 2 or D.  Get into the back seat and grab the plastic handle and pull up and back real hard.  There's a groove in the round bar and a rib on the platic handle that slots into it.

they come off the same way in a cherokee, i did it that way and ended up smacking myself in the face with the handle and my head on the ceiling when it came off 

[DaemonForce]

This is just the shifter killing itself when you don't need it. Undo the four top screws on the black plastic cover, the two screws on the cluster gauge housing and then pull the T of the handle straight up and out. I'm currently running my car with this safety off. To fix it you need to undo the shifter bar and replace it, then reassemble the T handle. I had this happen to me roughly two months before my transmission gave out. It has nothing to do with transmission performance but it does affect your physical ability to shift gears. It's caused by a spring loaded cable that comes loose from years of wear. I have a replacement ready but never got around to it. :/

[vangremlin]

they come off the same way in a cherokee, i did it that way and ended up smacking myself in the face with the handle and my head on the ceiling when it came off 

Sounds like something I would do!!!  Thanks for the laugh.

[thereverendbill]

they come off the same way in a cherokee, i did it that way and ended up smacking myself in the face with the handle and my head on the ceiling when it came off 

here's an egg for admitting and bringing back bad memories

[rohnk]

 

[85AmCfreak]

DaemonForce Is correct and yes the handle does come off rather easy. I normally just grab the handle in neutral push the button and rip up towards the ceiling. The reason this happens is there is a small piece of wire with a feral on what looks like a pulley, after 30 years the wire splits and eventually snaps.

[carnuck]

Mine is just bound in with a screw so the button doesn't move anymore!