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out of park

1

1ggy

New CEG'er
Joined
Oct 2, 2008
Messages
11
Quick Q. The starter in my contour went out (99, auto, 2L), and I can't shift into neutral to push it up on some ramps to change the starter. Also, could someone show me a picture or give me a general idea as to where the starter is? I managed to get under the car a little bit, since I jacked it up and put the ramps under the tires as much as I could, but I'm somewhat barrel chested and got a bit uncomfortable under the car, so I didn;t stay under it very long.
 
there should be a lockout that can be used to get the atx into neutral, however i don't know where it is. check your owners manual for the info?

the starter is on the back side of the block near the firewall.
 
tanks for the info about the lockout, however, I still can't find the starter.
 
like zorrex said, put the key in the ON or RUN position, apply the brake, and it should shift into N.
 
Let's see if this pic from AutoZone will hotlink...

EDIT: Nope! Let's try this again lol

0900c152800a88dc.gif
 
First off, are you sure starter gone south? A very low or bad battery will make starter act up and the solenoid that allows you to get in/out of park can quit working then also. The solenoid is located under the shifter assembly which itself is under the console. The starter is located on backside of motor between it and the firewall. You will DEFINITELY be laying on your back to do much of the work to get it off, all the starter wiring must be disconnected down below before removing it. I feel your pain, I'm a big guy too.
 
Yeah, I'm sure its the starter. I tested the battery with my voltage meter, 15V, and I tried to jump it with my mom's car, but still the same result, just a single click from the solenoid and nothing else. And thanks for the picture, I wish I had found that about 2 days ago, I finally located the starter yesterday, but couldn't get it off since one of the nuts is too damn tight, and I am having a hard time getting to it with all the damn wires and hoses running all over the place. And IDK if it's normal or not, but anytime my car breaks down, I can't shift it out of park or into park because of the break interlock thing, I can't press down the brake pedal far enough to activate the solenoid if the engine isn't running. Thankfully, BrApple told me there was a lockout, so I got that all figured out.
 
You can pull the console and permanently disable that solenoid, I removed mine completely. I don't care for that function. Took it off my Tempo, Contour and Focus............
 
Well, I got the starter replaced. What a pain in the butt. Anyways, now it turns over, but it won't start up. Any ideas?
 
I only removed the airbox and the mass airflow sensor. However, I went out and noticed a piece of metal that looks like some sort of a spring laying on the ground between the ramps my car was on.
3789225603_af7fd24936.jpg
 
What kind of car wont start? Does the motor fire? does it even turn over? are you getting spark on the spark plugs? Did you accidently disconnect the coil pack in the process of doing the starter?
 
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