My 99 neon auto transmission won't shift outta park. The battery is dead and needs some work(thinking ignition coil is bad) and I went to put it in netrual to move it back a few feet to cut some grass. I put the key in the on position and the gear shifter is very tight. It takes some muscle to move it to any gear. I got it down to netrual but it clicks through every gear. And the car will still not move while in netrual. (Yes I have read put foot on the brake but what I've learned from 1st gen neons your foot does not need to be on the brake). It has also just got done raining a few days ago for 5 striaght days from that tropical storm up here in central pa(not sure if that has anything to do with it) anyone can provide some help please?

 

Unlikely for me, but I think I know what the problem is and you won't like it if what Dodge told me is accurate.

I'm assuming you have the park-lock release shifter with the button on the side? The shift lever underneath the handle has a nylon/plastic bushing on it--the bushing has a steel bearing formed into the end of it. When you push the button in, the button hits the bearing from the side and pushes the rod down to release the shifter.

In my case, the bushing was broken off and had lodged itself in the handle. Easy way to find out is to take out the one screw that holds the shift handle on and pull that badboy straight up.

I looked high and low for that bushing, and it turns out that the only place you can get it is to buy the entire shifter mechanism from Dodge at around $400. I told them that I wasn't trying to DOUBLE the value of my car just to get a 50 cent bushing, so I took it home and melted the pieces back together. It works fine now.