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Can't get shift lever out of park #1049441 09/12/04 06:12 AM
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 2 T tommythee OP Newbie
OP tommythee Newbie T Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 2	Started my Contour but could not get shift lever out of park. Haynes book says you can put a pen into the aperture on the left side of the console. Push the locking lever rearwards to allow the lever to be moved ?? (is this in english) Is the selector lever release solenoid bad ?? Where is it and what does it look like ?? My Contour is spending the night in a WalMart parking lot. 96 contour 4 cylinder Zetec Automatic tranny

Re: Can't get shift lever out of park #1049442 09/12/04 06:23 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 655 R red99sesport Veteran CEG\'er
red99sesport Veteran CEG\'er R Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 655	This happened to our 1998 Mystique once and only once, and it was the solenoid fuse. It is relatively easy to replace. Now to get your car out of the Wal-Mart parking lot. If you look on the passengers side of the center console there is a slit near the shifter. Insert a long, metal object. (A thin flatblade screwdriver works well) Anyways, insert it until you feel it engage something and then push in a little. Next, pull the screwdriver towards the back of the car. While still pulling on the screwdriver, push the shifter button in and put the car in neutral. Then start the car and drive off. Note: the car MUST be in neutral to be started. Your solenoid has either gone bad, or the fuse that controls your solenoid has broken. Your Haynes manual should tell you which is the right fuse to check. I don't remember which is the correct one, sorry. Anyway I'd check that first because it's easier/cheaper to fix than the solenoid. If the fuse isn't your problem then look at how to replace the solenoid in the Haynes manual, I have no info on this because I've never had to do it. Hope you can get your car home, and hope you can get it fixed. -James D.

Re: Can't get shift lever out of park #1049443 09/12/04 02:16 PM
Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,788 St. Louis, MO P projectSHO89_dup1 Hard-core CEG\'er
projectSHO89_dup1 Hard-core CEG\'er P Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,788 St. Louis, MO	Check your brake lights. If they don't work, that will prevent the shifter interlock solenoid from engaging. Steve 98 Contour SE Sport 2.5 Duratec ATX The wifey's car 89 Taurus SHO - 246K miles 94 SHO ATX - 190K 1997 F-150 5.4L ATX - The Workhorse 150K. ANY THREAD WITH "OMG" or "WTF" ETC IN THE TITLE WILL BE IGNORED!

Re: Can't get shift lever out of park #1049444 09/12/04 03:08 PM
Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,693 Thousand Oaks, California, USA B Big Jim_dup1 Hard-core CEG'er
Big Jim_dup1 Hard-core CEG'er B Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,693 Thousand Oaks, California, USA	Originally posted by projectSHO89: Check your brake lights. If they don't work, that will prevent the shifter interlock solenoid from engaging. Steve The most common problem is the brake light switch or the wiring at the brake light switch. As the above poster said, check your brake lights first. If they don't work, check out the brake light switch and it's wiring before doing anything else. Jim Johnson 98 SVT 03 Escape Limited

Re: Can't get shift lever out of park #1049445 09/13/04 03:10 AM
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 937 T TronX Veteran CEG\'er
TronX Veteran CEG\'er T Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 937	Hmmm.. I've seen people parked right up on those blocks and this locks the gears. If this is the case just push the car forward really hard and rock it back and forth until it shifts out of park.

Re: Can't get shift lever out of park #1049446 09/13/04 08:01 AM
Joined: May 2002 Posts: 3,345 Land of the Newfs B Bullet Hard-core CEG'er
Bullet Hard-core CEG'er B Joined: May 2002 Posts: 3,345 Land of the Newfs	Originally posted by Big Jim: Originally posted by projectSHO89: Check your brake lights. If they don't work, that will prevent the shifter interlock solenoid from engaging. Steve The most common problem is the brake light switch or the wiring at the brake light switch. As the above poster said, check your brake lights first. If they don't work, check out the brake light switch and it's wiring before doing anything else. I had the exact same problem about 3 weeks ago. I couldn't shift out of park. My brake lights didn't work either (or signal lights). Turned out the brake light fuse was blown. Popped in a new one and away I went. Everything was back to normal. Check that fuse, it's in the internal fuse box under the dash. 1996 MM Zetec, ATX 192000 kms...not dead, but I'm not fixing it White people love Wayne Brady because he makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X.

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