# 2007 Maxima Intermittent Issues Shifting From Neutral to Reverse



## bdwhiting (5 mo ago)

I have a 2007 Maxima that is exhibiting some odd issues that I've not found a 100% match with while searching online. Recently, after driving it around town for a while, the shifter refuses to move from neutral into reverse even with my brake pedal depressed. Sometimes it simply takes another try and then it works, but other times it can take over a minute before the shifter finally moves into reverse and then into park.

At first it seems like a shift lock solenoid issue, but I've never had it refuse to shift out of park, which is apparently the far more common problem people face. My transmission isn't exhibiting any other issues—no hard shifts or anything that makes me think the CVT is on its way out. Furthermore, I had the ATF changed as it was due for that service anyway, but the problem persists. I also used my code reader just in case the computer thinks something is wrong, but everything checks out.

Has anyone else run into this problem before? Could it just be a shift lock solenoid problem, even though it never manifests in the usual way? (P -> R) If it were an issue with the CVT itself, would the shifter refuse to shift back into Reverse like what's happening with me, or would I be able to move the shifter but the car remains in neutral?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

It's not possible for the shift lock to cause that issue. The lock is a mechanical plunger that can't stop the lever in any position except P. You probably have a worn-out shifter.


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## bdwhiting (5 mo ago)

So after about a month where my moving the shifter was thankfully problem-free, it has returned, giving me sporadic issues shifting from neutral into reverse or park every few trips or so.

To recap: Every so often, when I try to shift the car from neutral into reverse or park, the shift lever refuses to budge. I can shift back into drive with no issues, but when trying to put the car into reverse it feels as if I'm pushing the lever against some sort of invisible barrier. Furthermore, shifting from park or reverse into neutral has also never given me any problems. If I had to guess, this problem seems to occur about 5% of the time when moving from neutral into reverse, but of course that 5% always seems to coincide with the worst possible times for it to happen. When the problem happens it seems like it always magically resolves itself after a certain period of time. I often try to keep driving, or I turn the car off with the shifter in neutral and the parking brake engaged, turn the car back on again after a few seconds, and try again. If I'm in no particular rush and am not panicked (this problem usually likes to flare up when I AM in a rush but once or twice it's happened when I have plenty of time to chill), if I feel the usual resistance when trying to push the shifter into reverse I'll just engage the parking brake, keep the engine running while listening to some podcasts, and after a minute or so try to shift, and almost always the shifter moves right away as if the problem was never there to begin with.

I should also mention that I have zero issues with gear slippage, hard shifting, or anything like that. Aside from the infuriating shift lever problems, the CVT itself seems to be working well.



VStar650CL said:


> It's not possible for the shift lock to cause that issue. The lock is a mechanical plunger that can't stop the lever in any position except P. You probably have a worn-out shifter.


Fair enough, but is there perhaps any other component that might prevent the shift lever from moving from neutral back into reverse, like if the car senses it's in motion? I feel if it's a mechanical problem with the shifter assembly, it would happen much more frequently, no? Simply waiting also shouldn't be a solution, as if something is out of alignment I doubt the passage of a minute or so would magically get it back into alignment with no other intervention on my part.

Since my mechanic has not been able to reproduce the problem while my car's been in his shop, and the computer hasn't thrown any error codes, he's at a loss as to what to do. This could potentially be a safety issue, though, so I'd like to resolve it at some point soon if I can. I just need advice on how to begin diagnosing this.


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

bdwhiting said:


> is there perhaps any other component that might prevent the shift lever from moving from neutral back into reverse, like if the car senses it's in motion?


Not unless the mechanism is worn out. You might have a problem with the cable or even the parking pawl or shuttle valve in the tranny. That's rare, but possible on an older ride.


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## bdwhiting (5 mo ago)

An update on my issue. Posting this in case someone else has this issue, as it seems to be rather uncommon given the dearth of threads online about it. Thanks for your help.

As the problem has been ramping up in frequency (including a close call on a vehicle ferry), I've been switching up my online search terms until I FINALLY found a forum thread online describing precisely the same problem I've been having.





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Auto Trans Won't Go Back to Park - Maxima Forums


6th Generation Maxima (2004-2008) - Auto Trans Won't Go Back to Park - Has anyone had this happen with an SE auto transmission shifter? I did my morning errands Thanksgiving morning and returned home, parked in the driveway. Tried to put the car back into park. I coudn't get the shifter to move...



maxima.org





It turns out it WAS the shift lock for him, as the solenoid had shorted after he spilled tea on the shifter.

I don't remember spilling anything on or around the shifter, but after returning home today from the grocery store and the car refusing to budge from neutral it finally occurred to me to just try pushing down the shift lock button and see what happens. Sure enough, once I pried the cover off and inserted my key, the shifter went back from neutral into park with zero issues. So while the shift lock is meant to prevent the shifter from going from Park into Reverse, it apparently CAN work the other way somehow.

I have an appointment with my mechanic tomorrow morning, but I'm already feeling relieved that replacing the solenoid and/or shift lock itself may be the extent of the repair needing to be done.


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