Community Forums

Bounder94 · 03-28-2008, 05:43 AM

Hello....my parents just called from AZ, they were stranded at a gas station where after they filled up, they started the MH and the transmission would NOT shift out of PARK....this has happened a few times over the last 12 years that they have owned it and the usual fix is simply to wait it out and after the engine cools down, they start the MH and it shifts out of PARK and down the road they go....

They have taken the MH back to the dealer here in Kansas, but it always works fine then and they cannot duplicate the problem....so, I told them that I have been reading this forum on internet and that I would ask the people here for help.

While I don't know the exact chassis, I do know that they have a Chevy 454 Vortec motor, the MH is 34 or 36 feet long....so I will just start by asking if anyone has any ideas on the problem and a fix for it...if any more info is needed on the chassis of the MH then I will get more detailed information...

Thanks in advance for looking at this thread and for your replies

Kelly

Bounder94 · 03-28-2008, 05:43 AM

Hello....my parents just called from AZ, they were stranded at a gas station where after they filled up, they started the MH and the transmission would NOT shift out of PARK....this has happened a few times over the last 12 years that they have owned it and the usual fix is simply to wait it out and after the engine cools down, they start the MH and it shifts out of PARK and down the road they go....

They have taken the MH back to the dealer here in Kansas, but it always works fine then and they cannot duplicate the problem....so, I told them that I have been reading this forum on internet and that I would ask the people here for help.

While I don't know the exact chassis, I do know that they have a Chevy 454 Vortec motor, the MH is 34 or 36 feet long....so I will just start by asking if anyone has any ideas on the problem and a fix for it...if any more info is needed on the chassis of the MH then I will get more detailed information...

Thanks in advance for looking at this thread and for your replies

Kelly

RV Wizard · 03-28-2008, 04:03 PM

Kelly, hopefully yor parents have gotten the coach parking brake released and are back on the road. I wiuld think checking the fluid in the resevoir tank for the parking brake may be the answer. If the pump motor does not run you might want to check the fuse of circuit breaker. Let us know what you find.

Bounder94 · 03-28-2008, 06:08 PM

RV Wizard, thanks for the reply...but I may not have made myself clear, it is NOT the "Paring Brake" it is the TRANSMISSION that locks up, and you cannot pull the shift lever out of "park"....They ended up calling the RV dealer that they orginally bought the MH from and he told them about a fuse that they could PULL to release the shifter...Ever heard of that?!?!?!....I haven't heard back from them yet, so I assume they are back on the road and heading home again....My Mom said that then they pull in for gas next time that they will leave the MH "NEUTRAL" the next time they stop (and for every time they stop) until they get home....they will set the parking break so the MH won't be running down the road without a driver.....but I figured with as many people that this forum has that someone would have an answer....I will check back later, Kelly

Gary RVRoamer · 03-29-2008, 05:40 AM

Bounder,
On that type of coach/chassis the PARK position is not actually a transmission gear - the transmission goes into neutral and a separate Park Brake is automatically applied to the drive shaft. It is not unusual for the shifter handle to move to drive but the brake remains on, but it sounds like your parents may have a different problem. If the handle itself won't move, there is some kind of interlock.

Some transmissions won't shift out of Park unless you have your foot on the brake and the sensor that recognizes "foot brake on" may be intermittent or failing.

Bounder94 · 03-29-2008, 06:23 AM

RV Roamer,
You are correct in that the shifter handle DOES move down into Drive, and the Park Brake stays ENGAGED....

Interesting angle on maybe how the "foot brake on" sensor may be intermittetly failing...is it possible for this sensor to allow the shifter handle to move out of park and yet the parking brake to remain ON???....maybe in the actual electronic connection to the parking brake??

Thanks for your responses so far!...Kelly

tropical36 · 03-31-2008, 05:12 PM

It sounds like the park/neutral position switch or the park/neutral position relay not allowing the AUTO PARK pump to run and release the drivshaft shoe brake. This system is isolated to chevy only in those years. Search auto park and PM oldusedbear in these and the forums of rv.net for all the info you could possibly ever want, or you can PM me with your addy and I'll send you some info on the switch that the shift lever is controlling including some electrical diagrams of the system. If I'm misunderstanding and the lever won't move out of the P position, then look for that fuse, since it's probably the pedal switch,.... assuming you have to have your foot on the brake like most, for the shift lever to move out of Park.

parmm · 03-31-2008, 06:37 PM

If it is like mine, and they can't find a mechanic who knows what he is doing to fix it - they can have a mechanic disconnect the linkage at the tranny and put it in gear. That way they will be in drive/overdrive until they can get somewhere they can get it fixed. They will have to use the parking brake to hold it when parked. They will be able to go forward only! No reverse! They will have to be very careful where they stop i.e. truckstops; very careful where they pull into for fuel; and very careful where they park, so they can pull out without any one in front of them.

And thank you dpg4851 for the info on the fuse. Mine is still waiting to get in the shop now that I am at home. All the way from Northern Alabama to upstate NY without reverse was no fun. I don't think that it has a "Auto Park" on the drive shaft, plus that should not prevent the lever from coming out of park. Am going over tomorrow and looking for that fuse.

tropical36 · 04-01-2008, 07:22 AM

I had some conversation with a person driving a 96 Chevy Dolphin.. last year at the KOA in Okeechobee, FL...He didn't seem to know too much about it, but was having ...what sounded like the same problem as you,.. with reverse.
Be sure to keep us informed on this issue.
I am somewhat confused on who owns what here, but sometime in the 90's, with rigs weighing over 15K, chevy P30's went with the auto park drive shaft brake. This was inheirited by Workhorse in 99 and not only continued on the P chassis, but was extended to many of the others on the W chassis, so all those heavys without the late model allison tranny...with a parking pawl...have auto park.
I do agree that this should have nothing to do with shift lever movement..that's another issue which sounds like the conventional brake pedal electrical circuit. There's a limit switch down there, which I'm guessing has a bad connection or the switch itself is bad. Pulling the power with this fuse may disable this little safety feature, assuming you have it in the first place.