The shift interlock system in your Honda Accord is designed to ensure the proper operation of your automatic transmission. The interlock is comprised of two signals, one from your brake switch and the other from your shift interlock solenoid. When your Honda Accord won’t shift, won’t come out of park, or your Honda Accord key won’t come out of the ignition, you’ll need to learn how to service a Honda Accord Shift interlock.
Our DIY guide on how to service a Honda Accord Shift interlock is broken up into two different segments. If you have an issue with your shifter not being able to shift from PARK position, or stuck in gear, continue reading. If you are reading our guide to find out how to remove your Honda Accord ignition key, skip down to the solenoid test section below.
Today we’ll be showing you how to service a Honda Accord Shift interlock in a 1999 Honda Accord EX. This vehicle has a lot of issues with the shifter being stuck in park, and today we’ll be dealing with the Accord shift interlock solenoid.
What does the shift interlock do?
The shift interlock is simply a safety mechanism that makes sure you aren’t going to destroy your automatic transmission. Certain safety steps are part of this system, such as depressing the brake before shifting, or removing the ignition key with the shifter in PARK. When you start having issues removing your key, or shifting your Accord, you can save a lot of money by learning how to service a Honda Accord Shift interlock.
Where is my Honda Accord shift interlock?
This vital component of your drivetrain is located in the center console of your Honda. You will need to remove the shifter head as well as the center console all together to access the Honda shift interlock.
How To remove the Honda Accord center console
You’ve got to remove the head of your automatic Honda Accord shifter.
To do this, there’s two screws on either side of the shifter, remove these to slide the shifter and shifter button of your shaft.
Once you’ve got these screws out, go ahead and pull off the head of your Honda Accord shifter.
In order for the center console to come out of your car, the cubby hole under your Honda Accord stereo must be taken out. To do this, remove the screws that point upward through the cubbyhole mount points and into your Accord dashboard.
Remove these two screws, and carefully remove your cubbyhole by pulling down and out. If you are still having problems, you can remove your shifter plate. This shifter plate has the gear selector built into it, and it can be taken off your Accord by simply sliding it up and off your shifter base.
Now slide both seats forward as much as possible to reach the screws in the back of your Honda center console. These screws must be taken off in order for you to pull up on the back of your Accord center console.
Pull up your ebrake, and then remove the screws that are installed under your Accord shifter plate. With all these screws taken out, you can now remove the center console and access your Honda Accord shifter base as well as the shift interlock.
Testing the Honda Accord shift interlock
Now it’s time to temporarily reconnect your shifter head, and attempt to shift your Honda Accord with the engine off. To do this, you may test the shifter release ( the large green square ) on your Honda Accord shifter base. Depress this large green square, and your shifter should now be free to move.
If your shifter in your Honda Accord is stuck, and depressing this cable does not help, you may need to adjust your shifter cable.
While depressing this large green button, your shifter should move freely and easily. If this is okay, then move onto the white box on the driver side of your shifter base.
This white box is your gear release for your ignition, you will need to pull back on the white arm to see if the shift interlock is working correctly. When you put your shifter into PARK, this white lever gets pushed back, which tells your Honda Accord ignition switch that it’s okay to let go of your key.
If the white lever does not solve your issues of shifting or replacing your Honda Accord shift interlock does not resolve the problem, try your brake switch. This is a two pin unit under your dash in your Honda Accord, and if it’s bad your shifter will not move, your ignition key will not come out no matter how to service a Honda Accord Shift interlock.
Have any questions about our how to service a Honda Accord Shift interlock DIY guide? Leave them for us below!
Hi, I have a 1998 Accord 2.3L LX vtec. Sometimes, when in park, my ignition key won’t come out. So I move the shifter to D3 and back to park (sometimes it takes a couple of moves). Then the ignition key will be released, and ZI can take it out. I notice you mentioned a white box that tells the ignition it’s OK to release the key when in park. What is the name of this unit, as this is likely my problem and it will need replacing. thanking you in advance. JR
JR, thanks for reading.
That would be the shift interlock, or the thing you stick your key into the center console for release. However that’s probably NOT your issue. Instead you need to check your steering column, there’s a metal wire that connects to a switch in your ignition tumbler. When you turn the car off, this metal switch should pull out the tab on the shift interlock, allowing you to remove the key.
Most of the time the unit thats connected to that metal cable on your steering column is to blame. It *could* be your shift interlock but it’s doubtful. Instead the constant wear and tear of your ignition key / tumbler / switch can wear down and make the unit on the steering column inaccurate. That causes the metal wire to either not react or bind, which causes the key to not come out.
Check it out and let us know! Thanks for commenting!
My 1994 Honda Accord Lx shifter button won’t depress. First it started being hard to press in but now it won’t depress at all and I can’t get it out of park. It cranks fine but can’t get it out of park and can remove the key.
Thanks
Hi James, thanks for commenting.
Have you tried the steps in our Honda Accord shift interlock DIY guide? Does the button depress when you insert the key manually? Could there be something holding up the button on the shift interlock? Check those out and let us know and we can help guide you.
My names Tony I have a 2003 honda accord LX 4 cylinder. My car runs and drives. The key will not come out of the ignition when I turn the car off so I have to disconnect the negative terminal on the battery to get my key out. I was told it may be my shift interlock. My car can still reverse and park but they key will not come out unless I disconnect the battery.
Hi Tony, I think I just replied to you on this.
Okay, now that I know more I can help. First off, you need your Accord key to be freed. Open your ignition column by unscrewing the lower 3 screws that hold the Accord ignition housing in place. Once you have that paneling removed, you can see your Accord ignition switch, and you should be able to see the physical cable that pulls the Accord interlock in place. Simply depress that metal tab, and your ignition will be freed.
Now that you have your key removed, you can go about replacing one of the following in this order.
1. Accord shift interlock cable – more than likely the culprit
2. Accord interlock housing – doubtful but this could be it.
3. ignition column – this could be broken itself but again, highly doubtful.
Hope that helps Tony! Thanks for reading and make sure to please follow us on Facebook!
Do I need to replace the shift interlock ?
Hi Tony, you should only need to replace the shift interlock in the event that the physical mechanism is damaged itself. What are the Honda Accord shifting problems that you are having now? Is your gear selector not moving or is your Accord stuck in neutral? Let me know and I can hopefully help out.
Thanks for reading and make sure to please follow us on Facebook!
Hey my name Ty
I have a 2002 Honda Accord my friend drove it ran the engine hot so like a month I changed the engine put a new one in it and it didn’t want to come out of park it was work before but I changed the brake light switch and I changed the shift interlock still not work and I changed the one on the transmission as well still have no good news I just don’t understand what it could be help please thanks
Hey Ty, thanks for reading.
Okay so a couple of questions here.
1. does the transmission shift even manually?
2. Are there any check engine codes?
3. Do you have the Accord shift interlock released?
Let me know and hopefully I can help out!
There is a recall for 2003 civic and accord for the problem check your dealer .or check NHTSA WEEB SITE ENTER THE VIN OF YOUR CAR AND AUTOMATIC CHECK THE RECALL ON YOUR CAR ..I HAVE A HONDA 2003 V6 HONDA ACCORD WITH 4 RECALLS
Ok I have a 04 honda accord ex thats stuck in park and keys locked in ignition. Ive replaced the shift lock solenoid switch, the wiring harness near the gear shifter and the back up switch. Only way to get keys out is to unhook battery cable
Any advice to help a single woman out 🤦
Hi Stacy, try opening your steering column. Your Accord has a release button that will save you the headache of having to disconnect the battery.
Best of luck to you, let me know how it goes
Hello John,
I have a 2006 Accord LX 2.4L DOHC i-vtech. The shifter is stuck in park. The car won’t start when I turn the key over, it doesn’t light up the P light on the dashboard. If I wiggle the shifter there is a very fine spot where it will start. once started the shift button will not depress unless I bypass the shift interlock. occasional when I put it into Drive it will not accelerate. I have to shift into other gears a few times and then back into Drive for it to actually drive.
I have taken the centre console apart and can see the shift interlock is working when I press the break but again this is an intermittent problem. The car also will not start in neutral so I don’t think it is the Neutral Safety Switch. I’ve read on other websites that it could be that I need to clean or replace the shift interlock solenoid.
Other things that can cause these symptoms have been checked and seem fine: battery is charged, the stop/ horn fuse, the brake light fuse, and back up light fuse are all good, the brake pedal makes the clicking nose under the shifter when pressed.
I am stumped.
Hi Alexa, very common issue for Accords, especially around that year range.
I would definitely recommend adjusting the shift interlock solenoid. If it’s failing it could definitely present an intermittent issue, and replacing it should resolve your issue. Hope that helps. Let me know how it turns out!
I have a 2000 Honda Accord. My car won’t start sometimes and I noticed that it happens when the button on the shifter won’t push in and I can’t shift even put the car in neutral. If I keep pressing the break and trying to press the button on the shifter down eventually it gets soft and I hear a click like a mechanism turned on that allows me to shift. This then allows me to start my car. I already changed the break switch. Do you think this could be related to the shift solenoid. Other people can start their car but can’t shift. My problem is that it won’t let me start the car when I have this problem. Thank you.
Hey there Dan, thanks for reading
Definitely sounds like you need to take a look at your Accord interlock. Good news is, you’ve already found a pretty good article to follow!
Hope it helps!
I have a 2002 Honda Accord Sedan. Shifter won’t go into park or reverse…
Hi there Mary
so first things first, I would undo your center steering column and release your shift interlock. that will enable you to shift freely. If you want to replace that part you can, or simply modify it so you can shift freely at any point but I would NOT recommend that.
hope that helps!