C5 stuck in gear/won’t move. Please help!

Hello all,

Brand new proud member here, achieving a lifelong dream with my Corvette purchase last week. 99 C5 auto. Well, after nearly 200 miles of happy driving this week, I pulled up on a side road, and the car is stuck. It’s like the handbrake is stuck on. It won’t move. Engine ticks over fine, gear shift moves fine but the car is not moving. RAC literally useless, couldn’t even tow it for me. What can I do and does anyone know of any specialists in the Bristol area please?
Thanks,
Dave

Is it selecting a gear when you shift? As in, when you let off the brake or apply the accelerator does it want to move or is it as if it's still in neutral?

I believe the bushes/cable on the shifter can go meaning you're not actually selecting a gear. Can be repaired by taking the centre console out (easy job).

Hi same thing happened to me in my c5. Selecter cable frayed badly.You can manually select drive by laying under the rear of the car ,on the left hand side as if your facing it from the rear you ,can reach up and push the selecting rod into drive, obviously the car needs to be running first with someone in the driving seat with their foot on the brake. I think its forward for drive, back for reverse, at 12 oclock vertical neutral. should get you out of trouble. Keith at Eurovetts will get you a new cable not that expensive hope this helps.good luck.

Hi again i guess its stuck in park?

C5Steve said:

Is it selecting a gear when you shift? As in, when you let off the brake or apply the accelerator does it want to move or is it as if it's still in neutral?

I believe the bushes/cable on the shifter can go meaning you're not actually selecting a gear. Can be repaired by taking the centre console out (easy job).

Click to expand...

Thanks Steve. Yes it does select a gear. Doesn’t move at all. Seems like parking brake stuck!
Yes, centre console a definite area to look at. Thank you.

petchy56 said:

Hi same thing happened to me in my c5. Selecter cable frayed badly.You can manually select drive by laying under the rear of the car ,on the left hand side as if your facing it from the rear you ,can reach up and push the selecting rod into drive, obviously the car needs to be running first with someone in the driving seat with their foot on the brake. I think its forward for drive, back for reverse, at 12 oclock vertical neutral. should get you out of trouble. Keith at Eurovetts will get you a new cable not that expensive hope this helps.good luck.

Click to expand...

Thanks Petchy. This is really useful. I just need to find a garage that will take a look in the Bristol area.

petchy56 said:

Hi again i guess its stuck in park?

Click to expand...

Yep

When you use the shifter does it still feel right or take less arm movement to change gears ?
If looser than cable could be broke there at shifter or if no change to force needed to make shifts
then cable broke at the AT
Cable could be broke at the shifter or at the tranny
Before yanking console apart may be easier to jack up left rear to look at the cable to AT on that side
If stuck in gear to make it easy to tow is as mentioned move the shift arm at shift arm to get to neutral

Read this to see if helps you


New cable here in the USA is like $80

Thank you. Will bear this in mind.