SHIFT LEVER WILL NOT RELEASE OPERATING AND DIAG.PROCEDURE

SHIFT LEVER OPERATION THE LEFT HAND LEVER CONTROLS PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL, OVERDRIVE AND DRIVE DETENTS. PLACING THIS LEVER IN THE OVERDRIVE DETENT WILL ALLOW THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT FROM FIRST THRU OVERDRIVE. THE CENTER LEVER IS USED TO "LOCK-IN" SECOND GEAR AND THE RIGHT HAND LEVER IS USED TO "LOCK-IN" FIRST GEAR. TO USE THE "LOCK-IN" FEATURE FOR FIRST AND SECOND GEAR THE LEFT HAND LEVER MUST BE PLACED IN THE DRIVE DETENT. TO "LOCK-IN" SECOND GEAR, PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE CENTER LEVER DOWN AND PULL LEVER BACK. NEXT, TO "LOCK-IN" FIRST GEAR, PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE RIGHT HAND LEVER DOWN AND PULL LEVER BACK. WHEN THE FIRST AND SECOND GEAR "LOCK-IN" LEVERS ARE USED, IT IS NECESSARY TO MANUALLY UPSHIFT THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS DONE BY MOVING THE RIGHT HAND (FIRST GEAR) AND CENTER (SECOND GEAR) LEVERS FORWARD RESPECTIVELY. TO MANUALLY DOWNSHIFT THE TRANSMISSION FROM DRIVE TO SECOND GEAR, PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE CENTER LEVER DOWN AND PULL LEVER BACK. TO MANUALLY DOWNSHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR, DOWNSHIFT TO SECOND, THEN PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE RIGHT HAND LEVER DOWN AND PULL LEVER BACK. IF THE SHIFT LEVERS WILL NOT OPERATE AS DESCRIBED. REFER TO THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES. A.SHIFT LEVER WILL NOT RELEASE IF THE SHIFT LEVER WILL NOT RELEASE WHEN OPERATED IN THE CORRECT SEQUENCE IT MAY BE DUE TO A MISPOSITIONED RELEASE BUTTON. REMOVE THE BEZEL, SHIELD AND PLATE TO OBSERVE THE OPERATION OF THE PAWL WHEN THE BUTTON IS DEPRESSED. IF TRAVEL IS INADEQUATE, THE BUTTON MAY HAVE MOVED ON THE CABLE. USE THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION. REFER TO FIGURE. (IF TRAVEL IS FOUND TO BE ADEQUATE REFER TO STEP B.) 1.UNSCREW THE BUTTON. 2.UNSCREW THE KNOB. 3.REMOVE THE SET-SCREWS HOLDING THE BUTTON COLLAR TO THE CABLE. 4.APPLY LOCTITE TO SET-SCREW THREADS, REINSTALL AND ADJUST COLLAR TO OBTAIN PROPER TRAVEL WHEN BUTTON IS DEPRESSED WITH KNOB IN PLACE. 5.TIGHTEN BOTH SET SCREWS SECURELY. B.SHIFTER LEVERS LOCK - GEAR CHANGES CAN NOT BE MADE A CONDITION MAY BE EXPERIENCED WHERE THE SHIFT LEVERS (ONE OR ALL) WILL LOCK AND GEAR CHANGES CANNOT BE MADE BY MOVING THE LEVERS. TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION FOLLOW THESE STEPS: 1.IF LEVER NEAREST DRIVER CAN BE MOVED, SHIFT TO "D". 2.GRASP SHIFT BOWL ON COLUMN AND ROTATE FULLY IN BOTH DIRECTIONS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TRYING TO DEPRESS THE SHIFT BUTTON ON THE MIDDLE SHIFT LEVER. 3.PROPER ALIGNMENT IS INDICATED WHEN SHIFT BUTTON CAN BE FULLY DEPRESSED. IF PROPER ALIGNMENT CANNOT BE OBTAINED ON MIDDLE LEVER, USE THE FAR RIGHT LEVER. SHIFT LEVER LOCK UP CAN BE CAUSED BY: 1.SHIFT LINKAGE AND BACK DRIVE LINKAGE NOT PROPERLY ADJUSTED. 2.BACK DRIVE SYSTEM BINDING. 3.BACK DRIVE SYSTEM WORN EXCESSIVELY. 4.LOOSENESS IN LINKAGE FROM TRANSMISSION TO SHIFTER. REFER TO PAGE 7A-13, FIGURE 7A-21 IN THE 1983 CUTLASS, 88, 98 AND TORONADO CHASSIS SERVICE MANUAL FOR FLOOR SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE.

General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.