What is...

[MarkEagleUSA]

...the technical name for the safety interlock that prevents shifting an automatic into gear without the brake depressed?

I'm sitting here racking my brains out trying to find the part I need to replace on my 03.

 

[mwilson]

I just spent 10 minutes digging around using my VIN.....Park Inhibitor is referenced several times but no luck on a part number...tried "Solenoid", "Interlock", etc..

Suspect you will have to have a dealer find the number, it may ship to RAM all assembled as part of the steering column and the lower level parts drawings don't break it out....

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

I just spent 10 minutes digging around using my VIN.....Park Inhibitor is referenced several times but no luck on a part number...tried "Solenoid", "Interlock", etc..

Suspect you will have to have a dealer find the number, it may ship to RAM all assembled as part of the steering column and the lower level parts drawings don't break it out....

Thanks Mike... glad I'm not the only one drawing a blank.

I'll look through the FSM a few hundred times again...

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Found it! Brake Transmission Switch Interlock.

Seems there's an adjustment procedure to try.

 

[Jim W]

Mark, I believe the proper name is brake to shift interlock. Here is an article from 2006, were this is discussed. https://www.safetyresearch.net/blog/articles/automakers-agree-add-brake-shift-interlocks.
There is an discussion on another forum for Ram trucks that discuss on how to adjust the shift interlock for automatic transmission. here is the link.
https://www.ramforum.com/threads/shift-interlock-adjustment.68976/

Hope this helps?

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

There is an discussion on another forum for Ram trucks that discuss on how to adjust the shift interlock for automatic transmission. here is the link.
https://www.ramforum.com/threads/shift-interlock-adjustment.68976/

Hope this helps?

Thanks Jim! That procedure appears to be the same one as in the FSM. Hope to get to it this weekend and give it a try.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Update: finally got around to this. Followed the procedure in the FSM and function is back to normal. No more shifting out of park without the brake depressed.

 

[MichaelOverfield]

Fun story on these types of interlocks. On my Land Rover Discovery, apparantly that type of interlock is not installed in all markets, and was added for the US market on that vehicle with a goofy plastic adapter and a solenoid within the shift mechanism. Well, the plastic part of the mechanism broke, leaving the shifter stuck in Neutral since the solenoid would only energize and release when in Park with the brake pedal depressed! I found that the best permanent fix was to just revove the solenoid entirely, and I did just that... problem solved. No issue shifting into gear now. I guess you can say I'm not a fan of all these interlocks! When the neutral safety swictch that demands the clutch pedal depressed to engage starter stopped working on my Saturn and thus allowed the starter to engage without the clutch, I didn't really feel the need to "fix it" I actually like it better now! Cars didn't used to have all this interlocks, it was on the driver to know how to operate the vehicle.