97 auto hard to shift out of park

Could be a broken plastic shifter rod inside the shifter shaft under the handle. Shift into Low then pull the handle off, it's a hard pull so pulling it down into Low makes it easier. Extract the white plastic shift rod like on top below with hemostats or small needle nose pliers and see if it's intact or broken.

If it's broken you can replace it with a chopstick like shown or a plastic coat hanger like I use. My trimmed plastic coat hanger has been working fine for at least ten years, the shifter feels the same with it as the factory shift rod does too. You have to whittle one end down a little to fit into the hole on the handle.

hear said:

I've never seen those parts before, how do they come into play? And would they only affect shifting out of Park?

Hopefully will have some time this afternoon to take a look. I didn't let them take the jeep today, LOL.

Click to expand...

Pushing the shifter button pushes that rod down to release the shifter from its detent where it's locked until that happens.

hear said:

I've never seen those parts before, how do they come into play? And would they only affect shifting out of Park?

Hopefully will have some time this afternoon to take a look. I didn't let them take the jeep today, LOL.

Click to expand...

Pull the console so you can watch the detent release in the park slot. Put the shifter handle back on, depress the button and see if the lock is being pushed out of the detent far enough or if the park interlock is not moving far enough to get it out of the way to let it shift easily out of park.

The park interlock cable may need adjustment. The solenoid at the steering column is energized with KEY ON to release the interlock and let it come out of park.

Typically, (not always) but most of the time when the beaded rod breaks inside the shifter tube, it won't come out of park or move the detent pin far enough to do any of the other functions.

I've never been a fan of the plastic coat hanger BS. I much prefer to cut a short piece of 1/4" brake line or copper tubing and stick it between the two beads where it broke. Personal preference though. You just need to stop the two ends from bypassing to make it work properly.