06 Durango Shifter in Drive, Goes BACKWARDS!

[Wingate]

My son-n-law bought an 06 Durangoe with extremely low miles recently. He has been driving it every day since. He called the other day and said that he was leaving Lowes the other day and started it up, put it into Drive, let off the brake, touched the gas and the vehicle went backwards!!. . I asked him if he had been drinking, he said no...

Fast forward to yesterday, I was in the vehicle with him and it did it again!!. The shifter was in Drive, and the transmission was in reverse!. Rather than put it into park and back into gear (this is how he got it to go into drive before) I told him to just keep the foot brake on and move the steering wheel (tilt)

When he moved the steering wheel, the trans shifted into drive!!!

Is the trans electrically shifted or does it have the old mechanical linkage?. .

Anybody ever heard of this before?

 

[dresslered]

My wife has a '99 and we've had a similar problem although ours seems to be just with the pointer linkage. I once thought that it was in 'Park' and when I stepped out of it while running, it started shooting down the driveway in reverse. I had to take a dive into it to save it from crunching a tree. I've been meaning to tear into the steering column but have yet found the time. Sometimes I wish that it would just drive away. We have the shop manual but it might not apply to yours.

 

[Wingate]

this one is definitely in reverse, although the shifter is in drive. He had already bumped a car in a parking lot due to this condition.

Its got to have something to do with the steering column though... . As soon as he moved it, the trans. abruptly shifted into drive. .

 

[dresslered]

I'll prolly get in trouble, but try here:



http://www.berrysprinter.com/e-Fiche/Model%20Years/CD5/index.pdf

 

[dresslered]

Sorry,

I thought that the link had service manuals as well, but it appears it only has parts catalogs.

 

[Wingate]

not a problem, I sifted thru the parts manuals and found that its cable operated from the steering column to the trans... That gives me a place to start. Any and ALL information is greatly appreciated!!!. . Thanks!!!. .