Just earlier this afternoon, stopped by a store on way home from helping a friend's daughter shop for a used car, and after talking smack about imports, my durango shifting cable fails as far as I can tell. I tried to start and noticed the display shows I'm in reverse. Not in Park. I move to Neutral to start (after trying to move to Park which was already in park but didn't show it on the display.
I was able to put into reverse but was never able to put into "Park". Shifted into "Drive", went forward but then not able to "Reverse". Shifted down to "1" but was never able to shift to "neutral" and "Park" and rest of gears. Like the cable broke.

Eventually found the find the "Neutral" at the transmission shift lever, then was able to start the Durango, and at that location when I manually shifted thru each gear. Each gear was indicated on the cluster display as I moved the transmission lever, but in the park position, never saw "park" indicator.

Can this be two issues or just a broken shifting cable? A while back used to have problems shifting out of "park" but that problem disappeared. I have a job interview this Tuesday and need a movable vehicle controlled by the column shifter.

 

If the other gears show up on the cluster and park doesn't and the cable is off at the transmission lever. I would say the problem is in the trans. With cable off at the transmission, does the shifter go into park and you are able to remove the key?

 

Well, I noted that when the column shift handle is moved from park thru the other gear positions, the transmission shift lever doesn't reposition. It's like the actual cable assy is broken. I can manually move the trans lever and have the gear postion display on the instr. cluster. I'm wondering if the BTSI switch is not recognizing the cable placement when the column lever is in park position. I played with the plastic clips before I realized their functions, hoping to see a broken cable action and to see a broken cable and/or fiberglass. In the morning I will remove the OEM cable and install the replacement. I hope I won't need the recommended bracket for the new shifter cable, as recommended. The Durango is my service vehicle. In a nutshell: shift the gears from the column to the transmission shift lever, no mechanical actions., unless I move the trans. shift lever itself. I can still start the durango when I move the trnsmssn shift lever to the neutral positon. So I know the neutral saftey switch still works. The Durango won't start in the other gear positions. Column gear in park, I can remove key, else key stays in ign switch. Durango recall for gear slippage I tested last nite, No problems. Does it still sound like cable problem? I only think so 'cause it happened on the spot. Far as I can tell, the transmission is still o.k. Thanks!

 

In morning, I will disconnect shifter cable and see if the Durango will stay put or roll in Park. Still wondering about the possible cable bracket replacement. Odd that a replacement part need mods to replace a OEM part.

 

found the shifter cable portion in the engine compartment was damaged. The plastic shield was eventually worn away and exposed the cable. I guess over time the cable weakened over the years and finally decided to kink itself. The shift lever by the steering wheel would just physically push and pull the cable assemby but not the inside cable. Transmission shifting still o.k.