2002 V70 T5 stuck in park when cold, only in the morning

[jkikawa]

I have a 2002 V70 t5 with 65000 miles. Southern California

The shifter stays stuck in "park" position upon a cold start in the mornings after sitting through the night (60 degrees).

Over the past few years this has happened... very intermittently previously but now happening everyday.

The engine starts up fine and I can feel a solenoid moving in the shift handle when I depress the brake pedal but I still cannot get the shifter to move out of park. After a minute or two or sometimes three, and pumping the brake, turning the car off and on, and even rocking the car back and forth it all of a sudden cooperates and I can move it as if nothing was ever wrong.
For the rest of the day through multiple trips, the problem does not come up again, only in the cool AM conditions.

I just replaced the brake light switch down by the pedal (I thought that would fix it but it did not)

I just replaced the brake light relay in the back left quarterpanel (due to side brakelights not working) I thought that it might be related but does not seem to be.

In case it matters...The "stuck in park problem" was present before I had brake light problems.

Some research says that it could be a PNP (neutral safety switch) but I could not get enough info pointing toward this as a solution.

Please help.

[VCA]

It sounds like your shift lock solenoid is sticking. It's inside your center console. There's no mechanical override button like there is on V70s up to 2000. There is a procedure for overriding the shift lock in your owner's manual, but it does involve disconnecting the battery. I've reproduced it below:

● Switch off the ignition for at least 10 minutes and disconnect the battery
● Wait at least one minute
● Insert the key in the ignition and turn it to position II
● Press firmly on the brake pedal.
● Move the gear selector from (P)ark to the (N)eutral position.

If you do this and the override works, consider the solenoid bad; otherwise, suspect a frozen linkage between the gearshift and the gearbox.

[jkikawa]

Thanks for the insight VCA.

I am still hearing the solenoid moving in the shifter handle every time I press the brake though. Again, only the first cold start in the morning.

The linkage cannot be literally "frozen" it's not that cold.

does anybody know how to take out the solenoid?
Is there a way to mechanically test it?
or... are there any other ideas out there on what the problem might be