My fiance has an 01 cavalier. Anytime its cold outside the release button on her shifter (top, push down) will not go down. At all. We have to start the car and crank the heat until the car is pretty hot inside and then with some fighting it will push down and let me shift into another gear.

At first I thought moisture but she said it has been doing it for four years now, and only in the winter. When its cold she said its pretty much a daily thing.

Any ideas?

 

sounds like a shift lock solenoid. I'd rip the center console apart and see whats going on.

 

Until you get a chance to check it out. Take a key and stick it in the shift release slot to manually bypass that switch on the shifter it self. My buddy has to do that.

 

I had no idea there was a solenoid for that or a key release. Thanks for the great info guys, the key trick is perfect for now