Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting PROBLEM! HELP!(kind of long)

Yesterday I was installing an amp, so I decided to run the RCA cables thru the middle of the car. I had to remove my center console piece, so to do that I had to remove the shift knob. Took the screw on the side out, twisted the shift knob to see if it would screw off, it turned but not just the shift knob, the whole thing,shift knob and the plastic piece connected to the shiftknob turned and I ended up disconnecting the overdrive button. I panicked and didn't even get to hook up my amp. Couldn't figure out how to re-connect the wire that goes to the O/D button and on top of that, now when I shift the shift knob will not lock into place. I tried a night long to at least make it shift right but couldn't get it to work properly! It shifts and everything but if I just lightly push on the shift knob it will change gears without pushing the push button! I can be driving, go to change the station on the radio and accidently throw it in to reverse. Very Dangerous!
Does anybody have any suggestions?
I don't know what to do?

Ssomeone please help!

I'm thinking that all you did was break the wire for the O/D button. Right? This is normal anytime you want to remove the shifter.

To properly return operation to the o/d button, simply remove the shifter knob again and take a look at the wires that were broke. Now, take some wire of the same gauge (you should be able to just look at the size and see about what size is needed and you will probably find that you have some lying around somewhere or in something in the house) and just elongate the broken wires located in the shaft. Make them long enough so that you can reattach them to the wires that connect to the button in the shift knob while the shift knob is off. Then just stuff the extra wire into the shaft and reattach the shift knob, securing it with screw.

Yeah the wire did break but it broke way up inside the shift knob. There is no way that I can get to the wire inside the shift knob.

As for installing the shift knob. I'm pretty sure that I reinstalled it correctly but if I push the button to shift it will push the rod down to let me shift but it will not pop back up and lock in the gear. What may be causing this?

something in there is not connected properly and it's binding. Just take it all back apart you should be able to see what is going on.

As for the wire for the O/D... If it is so far down the shaft that you cannot get to it, then you have two options - 1) Relocate the O/D button or 2) cut the shaft down and now you have a custom ATX short shifter.

I would choose option 1, but you never know.