Can't shift out of park

[Mike93]

Here's the deal, this has happened 3 times in the last couple hundred miles. After starting the car, I cannot shift out of park into any gear. I press the **** on the shifter handle in, foot on brake, nothing happens, it feels "jammed".

When putting my foot on the brake I have no brakelights, taillights function fine.

I know that to shift out of park, the brake has to be working...un-working brakelights make me think something in this area is the problem.

Talking it over with my dad (former Ford service manager...one of the nicer ones) he mentioned a switch that is connected to the brake pedal arm, thought that may be defective. What do I look for if this is the case?

I'm away at school so the only help I have gotten so far has been over the phone with my dad, otherwise I wouldn't need to post this.

Any ideas??? Thank, Mike

 

[Tommy's SHO]

I believe it is your "brake light switch" that needs to replaced. It should be near the brake pedal but don't know where exactly.

 

[Kevin Airth]

Your bakelights have to be working for the shift interlock to function. Does this problem come and go? You may have a wire problem? Usually once it happens it stays bad. Have you been able to get it out of park? Turn the key on but not start. Put foot on brake and shift to neutral. Might have to mess around with the key and or shifter to find the right spot. Now start the car in neutral and drive away. But get the brake lights fixed pronto before you get rear ended!
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[Mike93]

I am pretty sure the brake switch is on the brake pedal assembly.

The problem does come and go for the most part. Like I said it only has happened 3 times. The first 2 happened like this: As I was parking I think I shifted into park just a split second too early, the car hadn't come to a complete stop yet but I also wasn't shifting into park at 5mph.

If I could get the shifter into neutral I don't believe I would be having any issues. The problem is that it won't come out of park.

Obviously I'm not driving and don't plan on it until this problem is fixed. Tomorrow I will be doing a more intense diagnosis of the problem and tracking down a new switch.

 

[93MTXSHO]

My dad's 97 F-150 did this for about 6 months. He would just press on the pedal about a hundred times and pull on the shift lever until it would finally come. After a little investigation, we discovered that he had no brake lights. One of the wires on the brakelight switch, which in this case was on the pedal arm where the rod goes through into the master cylinder, was split and not making good contact. I got rid of the factory connector and put 2 red female spade connectors on it and he hasn't had a problem for about 6 months. Also, for future reference, if the car will not come out of park, turn the ignition to the position between off and run, approximately straight up and down. This bypasses the shift interlock and will allow you to put the transmission in neutral and then start the car. Hope this helps.

 

[Mike93]

93MTX- by putting the key into the KOEO (key on, engine off) is a bit of a problem because I also have a broken part in the steering column that makes this very difficult. Basically I have to be very careful when I turn the key on so that the key doesn't get stuck.

I know it sounds like my car is a POS, but there are just a few minor little problems I need to take care of

I'll take a close look at the wiring in that brake switch, thanks for the help everyone, Mike

 

[93MTXSHO]

They're all getting age on them, and those early 90's Ford ignitions are terrible. You're not the only one with problems. I knew a guy that had to pay for about 12 hours of labor twice because the stupid plastic rod in there snapped on him. Good Luck. Let us know the results.

 

[artsho]

It is your brake on/brake off switch....It is attached to the brake peddle.....Not hard/expensive to fix...GOOD LUCK

 

[etcsho]

A few years ago I had a similar problem on my 93ATX. It ended up being a part in the shifter handle that was worn. If I took the leather **** off, I could manually jiggle the mechanism and get it out of park.

Ititially they thought it was the brake switch also, but they replaced it and I still had the problem. Finally they put a new **** and parts the shifter, and it worked fine.

This was one of those things the dealer worked on three or four times, but finally got it right. I remember they did me right, only charging me for one service visit, even though they thought they had it fixed three times before they actually did.

 

[projectSHO89]

It may also be the wiring to the brake light switch. Be sure to check for that also.

Steve

 

[Mike93]

Update: Looking harder at the brake switch I noticed some odd wiring coming from the switch. Followed these wires to my automatic start switch under the dash. Whoever installed this twisted the wires together and wrapped with electric tape and I think they were looking a connection. I played with this wiring a bit and everything seems to be working fine. Thanks all for the help.

 

[3xSHOloser]

I had the same problem on my 93 atx, but the i was on lunch and in no mood to try and figure out why, so i took the console apart (5-10 minute job) found the cable that runs to the trans that allows you to disengage the car from part, no i can shift it out of part whenever i want to without using the brake pedal, so i never have worried about replace the brake switch, of course this means that somone can other that yourself can also take your car out of part, even without the key. so if its posible that someone may want to take your car, then i would suggest doing this. but it a quick fix.