Help! truck wont go into park (keys stuck) shift linkage?
#1
01-28-2010
Help! truck wont go into park (keys stuck) shift linkage?
i dont know how similar this is to a ranger setup, but you guys are much cooler and more knowledgeable than the explorerforums guys.
i have a 1996 5.0 explorer with an auto tranny,
on the way to work i pulled into a gas station and went to shift into park and it wouldnt go. the gear selector feels all loose and i cant get it to go all the way to the left (park) or all the way to the right (1st) its kind of mushy in the middle and i have to feel to find the gears. drive is around neutral, and it wont go past reverse. this happened all of a sudden. it was working fine all morning.
im hoping it has something to do with the shift linkage and not the tranny itself. i cant get the keys out of the ignition, which makes me uncomfortable leaving it in the parking lot overnight, so i need to get this fixed asap. im going out to start taking stuff apart, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.
thanks guys
please help! is there any way to adjust the link between the selector on the column and the little lever on the side of the transmission or anything else i should check out?
i have a 1996 5.0 explorer with an auto tranny,
on the way to work i pulled into a gas station and went to shift into park and it wouldnt go. the gear selector feels all loose and i cant get it to go all the way to the left (park) or all the way to the right (1st) its kind of mushy in the middle and i have to feel to find the gears. drive is around neutral, and it wont go past reverse. this happened all of a sudden. it was working fine all morning.
im hoping it has something to do with the shift linkage and not the tranny itself. i cant get the keys out of the ignition, which makes me uncomfortable leaving it in the parking lot overnight, so i need to get this fixed asap. im going out to start taking stuff apart, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.
thanks guys
please help! is there any way to adjust the link between the selector on the column and the little lever on the side of the transmission or anything else i should check out?
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97flaredranger (08-16-2021)
#2
01-28-2010
#3
01-29-2010
i wanna say mechanical, but i'm guessing if you tighten it up down there the prob will go away. (no sarcasim).
since you can't get into park, leave it off and put it into reverse or neutral then tighten things down and then see if it'll shift into park.
my old bronk was similar, the indicator was broke and i always had to count the clunks to get to drive and reverse.
since you can't get into park, leave it off and put it into reverse or neutral then tighten things down and then see if it'll shift into park.
my old bronk was similar, the indicator was broke and i always had to count the clunks to get to drive and reverse.
#5
01-29-2010
#6
01-29-2010
Before you mess with that adjustment, check for a loose or missing bolt under the dash on the column linkage. I haven't seen this before myself but you can check these threads fo an explanation:
Ford Explorer Ranger Enthusiasts "Serious Explorations"® - View Single Post - Shift indicator challange
http://www.********************/57978-post3.html
EDIT: Apparently the second link is blocked for some reason. Here is the text:
Thanks for the ideas and others having the same problem.
Well here is the fix.
First the problem.
The Ranger wouldn't start, but all of the lights, radio would come on. I took the starter out and had it checked, also checked the battery and also trying to jump with another car, so the starter, and battery were ok. I lucked into starting it when I shifted into neutral.
After reading many posts from all different helpful people, I figured it wasn't a neutral safety switch.
I remembered that I had something hit my leg to night before it quit working, it was a screw about 1-1 1/4 inch long, gold color, torx head. After reading a post that said that their shifter seemed loose, I felt mine and it was loose, and they also found a screw, I took the drivers seat out because I'm too big to get underneath the dash with it in. Make sure the truck has its parking brake, for no reason but that the truck doesn't move. I put the key in the ignition so that I could move the shifter as I was underneath. I saw a plate above the steering column with one screw installed and a hole for another. I was lucky that the holes lined up. I screwed it in, tighten it up and tried it out, works fine.
I guess after 151,000 miles some things loosen up. If I had to do it again, I would put a little blue lock-tite on the threads.
If this you need more info, feel free to contact me.
Well here is the fix.
First the problem.
The Ranger wouldn't start, but all of the lights, radio would come on. I took the starter out and had it checked, also checked the battery and also trying to jump with another car, so the starter, and battery were ok. I lucked into starting it when I shifted into neutral.
After reading many posts from all different helpful people, I figured it wasn't a neutral safety switch.
I remembered that I had something hit my leg to night before it quit working, it was a screw about 1-1 1/4 inch long, gold color, torx head. After reading a post that said that their shifter seemed loose, I felt mine and it was loose, and they also found a screw, I took the drivers seat out because I'm too big to get underneath the dash with it in. Make sure the truck has its parking brake, for no reason but that the truck doesn't move. I put the key in the ignition so that I could move the shifter as I was underneath. I saw a plate above the steering column with one screw installed and a hole for another. I was lucky that the holes lined up. I screwed it in, tighten it up and tried it out, works fine.
I guess after 151,000 miles some things loosen up. If I had to do it again, I would put a little blue lock-tite on the threads.
If this you need more info, feel free to contact me.
#7
01-29-2010
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Memphis
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#8
01-29-2010
yeah dude that it. i found an inch long gold colored torx screw on my floorboard. this bolt fell out and is what is causing all my problems. i just need to crawl under the dash and put it back into place. no biggie. ill post a writeup when i am finished to help out others who might come across this. apparently it is kind of common with exploreres, so i imagine rangers run into it also
#9
01-30-2010
Crawl way under the dash and check on the top side of the column casting toward the front of the truck. There is a u-clamp there for the shifter rod held by two bolts. I believe that's the one your looking for. It might be helpful to remove the steel knee bolster and its plastic trim first but I don't think that it's absolutely necessary.
#10
11-09-2010
Join Date: Feb 2010
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#11
11-09-2010
#12
06-07-2012
I was having the same problem and found it before the screw fell out.
If you look under the dash while moving the shifter you should see the bracket your cable hooks to, there should be two screws holding the bracket on, mine were almoste half way out, tightened them up and now I have park and 1st again and I can feel all the gears.
If you look under the dash while moving the shifter you should see the bracket your cable hooks to, there should be two screws holding the bracket on, mine were almoste half way out, tightened them up and now I have park and 1st again and I can feel all the gears.
#13
06-07-2012
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