Automatic shifter lever very stiff in cold

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

My shift lever seems very stiff in this cold weather. Is there a way to lubricate something to make it move easier? It moves...just its very stiff when cold outside.

There is an exposed cable under the shifter, under the car. I once test drove a Mystique where I could hardly move the lever, but it drove fine. Lube that cable, I bet it will fix it.

I agree with the above post that this is most likely. Something else to look at is that if someone spilled a sugery soft drink on the consol around the shifter it can be very sticky. I've cleaned up a few of these to resolve a "sticky" shifter.

Originally posted by Big Jim:
...if someone spilled a sugery soft drink on the consol around the shifter it can be very sticky. ...

That is also one of the reasons for the cupholders not coming up. I had to wipe them off with wet q-tips during summer and then coax the cup holders to come up (Do it during the winter and it will break!).

The spilled pop/latte is a definite possibility!

Mine used to do this until the lubed the lock lever inside the shifter. It's the locking bar that stops you from putting it in gear until you step on the brake pedal. It used to get slow when it gets cold (rare around here)because it was dry. I little tri-flo on the hinge pins got it moving OK.

Well thanks...I will check things out...seeing the cup holders were all broken, maybe somebody before me slopped a drink down into it. I will check the cable as well. But this cable is it exposed? or is it inside a sheath?

Exposed a couple inches, I believe.

When you're having a hard time shifting, try pushing down on the brake harder too. Sometimes the shift-out-of-park brake lock gets a little sticky, and I found that when you give the brake a little play the selector will move fine

Try holding the brake pedal down when you stop the car to park it. Before you put the car in park, set the parking brake while your foot is still on the main brake. Then put it in park and let you foot off the brake pedal. This should make it easier to get out of park. My Contour had the same problem you described, and it did it only when it was cold. The above procedure worked for my Contour just fine. This will also work if you park facing downhill.