I have been having some issues with my 97 Blazer. This all started with not being able to get the car out of park. I disconnected the transmission linkage where it connect to the trans and I am able to put the transmission into gear manually easily. I then disconnected the linkage cable at the shifter (console type) and I was able to easily move the shifter to al gears. I then reconnected the cables and I am now able to move the shifter into gear but I have to apply way more force then normal to get it to shift. It also gets harder to shift the further down I go. Going from P to R and N and OD are not to hard but getting it into 3, 2, and 1 gear are pretty difficult to do. Also the BTSI (brake transmission shift interlock) may be bad as well. I have to push the override switch to get it to allow me to take it out of park.

Both problems at the same time? One related to the other? Can the linkage cable go bad?

 

Gave up and took it to the dealer. Going to be $540 to replace the linkage cable from the shifter to the trans and to find and repair a broken wire somewhere that is preventing power from making it to the BTSI switch. Suck.

 

I'm having the same issue did the dealer do anything I could pull off in my driveway?

 

The shift linkage is a $50-60 part and an hour tops to change even if you don't know what your doing!

 

The shift cable retainer breaks and then not able to shift anymore...as you know.

Replacing the shift cable is not difficult as noted above. Most difficult thind to do is to thread the cable through the sticking stuff in the floor pan..which means the drivers carpet has to be pulled-up, not completly though. Working under the dash as well.

As said...takes about an hour to do.

 

Also not sure if you have a column or floor shifter but if you have the column shifter check this out. I did a small write up on it to help others out and show whats involved when I did mine not to long ago.