1995 - Mazda 626 Automatic 4 cylinder - 108,000 miles - Problem with shifting into reverse, drive, etc. . . Do we need to replace whole shifter cable or is there a cheaper fix?

I'm afraid your going to have to describe the problem a little clearer if you expect to get a diagnosis sight unseen.




78 Corvette Pace Car For Sale-18k mi orig-Florida

 My son starts engine and has to wait a few sometimes before his automatic gear shifter engages and allows him to select reverse or drive on the gear shift.

The car is stuck in park and he has to just wait a few minutes before he can move to reverse or drive.

If I understand you correctly, he can't get the shifter out of park.

That would be called the shift interlock feature. It operates on the same circuit as the brake lights so the first thing you want to do is to make sure the brake lights are working when this problem is present. If the brake lights are working, that proves the circuit is good up to that point, then you'll have to get to the solenoid in the console. Disassemble as much as you have to to access the solenoid near the shifting mechanism. Us a 12v test light to test for power coming and going at the solenoid when the brake is applied. If power is arriving and switching and the solenoid is not triggering, the solenoid is bad and will have to be replaced.




78 Corvette Pace Car For Sale-18k mi orig-Florida

It wouln't be a bad shifter cable then? And about how much would it be to fix the solenoid? Thank You!

I don't have any prices on the actuator and the labor appears minimal but here is a TSB I found on that problem for that car.








78 Corvette Pace Car For Sale-18k mi orig-Florida