I drive an 84 245 wagon with 200k+ mi. I was experiencing some strange automatic shifter problems earlier today in that when i moved the lever, it stayed in park (possibly to do with the linkage disengaging? i really hope). This problem seemed to start today. This only seemed to happen when i put in it park to park it.
So i decided i would put it in neutral and use the E-brake to park. Bad idea. The brake was hard to release, and would continue squealing like mad when i went to drive. eventually after a little driving and playing with the lever it would calm down, and release a little and not squeal so much.
So then, as i was about the make a left at an intersection, my right rear wheel suddenly locked up. It did not appear to be the E-brake, because i could not get it to go forward at all. Also, I knew it was the right rear because when i accellerated, it felt like that corner of the car was anchored to the ground. I looked back and could see the left wheel trying to move forward, but the right was holding it back. i got under the car and looked, and could see nothing physically in the was of the wheel turning. The strange thing was, I put it in reverse and it went back just fine. Then i tried to go forward again and managed to get through the intersection, just barely, and then it did it again and i was stuck again. i did the reverse thing again, and then forward, and managed to pull into a parking lot to call a tow truck.
Ive got the car back at home and am going to wait till tomorrow to inspect as i am quite tired and slightly dehydrated from sitting in a non-AC car waiting for a tow :-). Im really hoping it's just that silly E-brake and not something like my differential. If anyone thinks they know why that one wheel locked up in forward, only, and loosened again in reverse, please, please, im all ears.

carissa
weymouth, ma
"bernard" the brown volvo