Please HELP me diagnose these problems

[SPARTUS]

1) Lately, I've been having trouble getting my car to shift out of park. The button on the shifter, freezes up or something and the only way to shift out of park is through pressing the shift release button located on the bottom of the shifter. This happens sometimes, but I'd like to see what you guys think may be the problem. Perhaps it's the parking pawl?


2) Today, I approached an intersection, and the car in front of me slammed on its brakes when the light turned yellow. I slammed on my brakes as well, and stopped within inches of his rear bumper. When the light turned green, I pressed on the gas, the rpm's rose up, but the car barely moved, as if it were in neutral. The car was still in the Drive position, so I put it in Park, and then switched to Drive again but nothing happened, the car didn't want to move, once again as if it were in neutral. I then put in reverse and that seemed to work fine. I then put the transmission into D1 and the car came to life again, i then slowly shifted up "manually" through the gears. About a 1/2 mile later, I pulled into a parking lot to see if the problem still continues, but everything seemed fine and the problem didn't come back. I drove the car about 30 miles today without a problem. I'm wondering what this can be? At first, i thought, maybe one of the brake calipers frooze beacuse of the rapid stop, but later figured that, why would it move in D1 then? I'm thinking that during the rapid stop, the transmission just stuck in 4th gear or maybe was out of gear?

Also, do you think the parking pawl problem is in any way related to my morning incident?

Any input, your thoughts, and ideas would be greatly appreciated!

PS: I know these seem like symptoms of transmission failure, but if it were the transmission failing, wouldn't this happen all the time and not just once?

Thanks guys[/b]

[ciper]

1. WD40 on the interlock solenoids

2. Check your fluid level.

[SPARTUS]

Checked my fluid level, everything seems fine. I always take care of the car and its maintence intervals are always done on time. I pretty much baby it. My parents have had the car since new and babied it as well. BTW, the car has 135k miles on the odo.

[ciper]

You checked the transmission level, not the differential level right? Warm transmission, car running and level surface right? Top most dot had fluid skin over it?

Id guess that stopping so quickly caused the pump to run dry.

[SPARTUS]

You checked the transmission level, not the differential level right? Warm transmission, car running and level surface right? Top most dot had fluid skin over it?

Id guess that stopping so quickly caused the pump to run dry.

not too sure what has happened...

[SPARTUS]

any other ideas, people?

[elkaboom]

Interlock solenoids? Where are these? Do I need a schematic as a reference tool or can someone locate their position so I doon't need to look it up? I'm feeling a little lazy today

Bob