2019 Sorento - Unable to shift out of Park.

[Sturg]

2019 KIA Sorento. Had transmission fluid service yesterday morning, then later that same day was unable to shift out of Park after starting the car at the grocery store. Was eventually able to shove a screwdriver into the Shift Lock Release button and get moving again. Car headed back to dealership this morning.

You can't tell me that the transmission service and this incident aren't connected somehow. Dealer swears one had nothing to do with the other.

I've never heard of anyone ever needing to do that, and I've never had to do that on any car that I've ever owned, and I've owned some pretty sketchy cars over the years.

 

[Nukeman7]

Nobody can definitively say whether it was coincidental or not, but your problem is either a defective/misadjusted: (a) transmission gear position switch or (2) a brake pedal position switch. From a mechanical standpoint, changing the transmission fluid is done from underneath the vehicle and underhood. The two switches are located inside the Kia's cabin and if it was broken at the dealership, you would not have been able to drive away or to the grocery store.

 

[dnewton3]

The transmission service done was to the hydraulic portion of the system.

The issue you describe is likely due to an electrical issue; some "permissive" criteria not met such that the electronic controls are not allowing the shift interlock to open.

To me, those sound coincidental.

 

[Propflux01]

More than likely, the brake switch. They had real problems with them in the 2000's/early teens. For them to service tranny, there really isn't a lot of wire harness action around the drain and fill areas to make me think they somehow damaged something.

 

[KrisZ]

The shift interlock is an electrical component being activated by the brake switch. So the problem is either with the interlock actuator, the brake switch or the wires on n between. Transmission service should not have touched any of these.

 

[Sturg]

Ended up being a bad BCM. SM still maintains it had nothing whatsoever to do with the tranny fluid change.

 

[Propflux01]

It shouldn’t have had anything to do with fluid maintenance. I’m a bit surprised that it was a BCM, and not showing other issues.

 

[The Critic]

Ended up being a bad BCM. SM still maintains it had nothing whatsoever to do with the tranny fluid change.

Correct, this has no relation to the fluid change.