dead thread?

“Of course, in order to shift it into neutral, you have to have the key on and put your foot on the brake. It was so dead, whatever electrical signal that would send to the gear shift thingee (technical term, sorry) to let you shift it wouldn't even work.

i didnt know that was even possible. how could a dead battery have any effect on shifting gears? is it a special kind of transmission?”

“Yeah man, that's weird. I've never had a manual transmission that needed power to get into neutral. Must be Fancy.”

“is it one of those clutchless manuals?”

“I like the cars with the flappy paddle shifting they are great gear boxes on a track but in town they are no fun and backing up and parking is a joke.

I understand why it did not work Bowlder becuase newer cars have a special feature that makes it so you have to press the brake in order to shift into a gear and that includes "N".

8)”

“CMB, what is your definition of a "newer" car?”

“1999 and up.

8)”

“That started appearing on cars in the late 80's. I know on my '87 Subaru you could pop open a panel and press a lever to temporarily bypass it - for cases just like this one.

Check your car's manual!”

“Bowlder....a few years and a couple of alternators ago I switched to a rechargable JUMP BATTERY (can get em at any auto parts place). They come with a set of cables..charge overnight and hold a charge a couple of months....easy and about the size of a small tool kit.”

“Sass & Crash - it's an automatic transmission, not a manual. And not only do you have to have a foot on the brake to shift out of "Park," the ignition has to be on. Of course, if it was a manual, I could have just shifted into reverse, released the brake, then popped the clutch, but that don't work so good with an automatic.

XL, so you just keep the thing in your garage and carry it to whatever car has the dead battery, right? Sounds like a good solution!”

“Tech, I'll check the manual tonight - it's a '95 Subaru....”

“Bowlder...I keep it in the truck, charge it every now and then...great item. Rechargable.”

“On our '03 Subaru there is a plug on the console. Pop it and stick a screw driver in the slot to move it out of park. '93 Toyoto had the same.”

“if it was a manual, I could have just shifted into reverse, released the brake, then popped the clutch,

If I'm not mistaken doing this in reverse can hurt the engine.”

“Of course, in order to shift it into neutral, you have to have the key on and put your foot on the brake. It was so dead, whatever electrical signal that would send to the gear shift thingee (technical term, sorry) to let you shift it wouldn't even work.

I beleive its called a neutral safety switch. The brake pedal must be depressed to shift gears (prevents the car from lurching when the trans engages). Every newer car has one, even Sass' (shhhhhh dont tell her LOL) If the battery is really dead (like yours) the switch cannot operate.”

“I thought it was a manual transmission. You have selective reading skills too?! ;)
last edited: 5/08/07 8:46:03 AM”