i can move thru the gears when my car is off. it has done this since i got he car 8 months ago. i have the console taken apart trying to find whats wrong. i think it is the whole shifter assembly but im not sure. the car is a 99, 2.4

not sure where, but theres either a ignition shift lock, or brake switch lock near the shifter. If one of these is bad then it could allow you to shift into gear at any time. My old 96 used to do it, but i never bothered to figure out what it was.