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Eric's Autos: Free and Easy Fixes

Eric Peters on

By Eric Peters For immediate release

Do you know what to do - well, what to try - if you can't move your car's gear selector lever out of Park? Well, first, don't panic. And don't try to force it. Because you might just break it - and then you'll really be stuck.

Instead, look around the console area near the shift lever for a Pez-sized rectangular access panel. A little plastic tab. When you find it, remove it. You may need to use a pen-knife or similar. Underneath this, you'll find a little button or lever - often yellow or orange. This is the manual release for the gearshift interlock mechanism. Which is, of course, stuck. Which is why you can't get the gear shifter out of Park. Push the button or pull the little lever- and now you should be able to get going again.

Here are some more hopefully helpful tips:

* Check for stuff wedged in the tread -

Ever have a car that drives you nuts with a constant clicking sound as you drive? It might be something serious - but it might also be a piece of debris (like a small piece of gravel) wedged in between the tread of one of your tires. Eliminate this simple possibility first before assuming it's something more serious (and expensive).

 

Find a parking lot and bring a friend. With you behind the wheel, creep the car forward slowly while your friends observes each wheel as it turns. If he finds one with a piece of gravel - or nail in the tread - you have found your problem. The gravel can be popped out using a pen or stick or whatever's handy that fits. If it's a nail, the tire will have to be fixed (patched).

Caveat: Be advised that some tires (usually, high-performance, high-speed tires) require a specific type of fix (a patch rather than a plug) to maintain their speed rating or may not be fixable at all if punctured. Well, you can fix 'em - but the manufacturer may no longer stand behind 'em - and it'll be on you if there is a failure at high speed.

Read the paperwork that came with the tire to find out what the deal is before authorizing any repairs..

* Buckle up your sandwich -

...continued

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