Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Failed shift interlock solenoid -- $635 ??!!

The brake/shift interlock solenoid in my '95 GL V6 auto seems to have lasted only 101,000 miles. Then suddenly a couple days ago I could no longer shift out of Park. Fortunately you can override this particular problem by poking a screwdriver into a hole in the console, so I'm still driving.

Now here's the *real* problem: the dealer's estimate to fix this is $635 parts & labor! They say it's just a little solenoid that failed, but it's not a separately replaceable part so they need to replace the entire shifter assembly. Ouch!

So, has anyone seen this one before? Any comments on whether $635 is a tad high? Any chance there's a TSB on this? Thanks for anybody who knows anything about this.

-slj-

Hogwash!
Don't pay them a penny! Take your console apart and remove the solenoid. It's right there in the shifter assembly under the console. That'll fix it.

Thanks, I'm definitely considering diving in there myself. I at least need to fix the shop's poor job of reassembling the console. They didn't get the sliding plastic gate strip back into its slot so it just bunched up when shifting, until I pried up the panel and released its tail for now.

Question 1: do you mean just remove and discard the solenoid, or replace it? I want to fix the interlock, not disable it. Being a safety feature, its absense may be noticed when I trade in the car in a few months.

Question 2: uh, how do you remove the shift knob? It's not obvious to me yet.

-slj-

i agree, just remove the thing.

I have a Solenoid that I can send you. It's out of a 95 Mystique V6...

Thanks Lee, I may get back to you on that.

But here's the temporary fix I did today: stuck the solenoid in the retracted position with a rubber band. Also fixed the minor damage done by the dealer during their inspection. Now I can shift any time without the brake or even a key in the ignition. Not super safe but at least it's better than shifting every time with a screwdriver.

However I had one big problem during the surgery: couldn't get the shift lever/knob and the cover plate completely off the rod. Those can be pulled only part way up the rod because of two wires from the O/D button. They go down through the shift mechanism and are crimped into the back of a wide connector. I couldn't figure out how to disconnect them to give enough slack to remove the lever and cover plate. So this left only enough room to reach in and install the rubber band, but wouldn't be enough room to work on the solenoid. I wonder if you need to actually cut the wires and fix them afterwards. Anyone successfully disassembled this without damage?

BTW, I found a pair of wire cutters under the seat, apparently left behind by the dealer shop. Maybe they had the same idea.

(Answer to my question #1 above: the knob is attached with a 2mm hex bolt below the O/D button... and two pesky wires!)

Mine used to hang up when cold outside, which is rare around here. It was still under warranty then so I asked the dealer to jack with it. They said it may take hours and hours to troubleshoot which might take days. I took it apart myself and found the problem, the pivot point was dry, a drop of triflow lubrication fixed it. Works all the time now. I felt like snapping the blocking bar off when it hung up but I figured that if this car ever got away and ran through a store window of something I couldn't sue Ford for the accident..

Scott, You can take the entire assembly out without cutting the wires but you have to be a little desterous.

1. Disconnect the battery.

2. Take out the hex head screw holding on the shift leaver

3. Pull up on the leaver to get it out of the way.

4. Pull up on the Shifter bezel to expose all the mechanics and wiring.

5. On the driver side of the shift assembly there is the electrical connector for all of the wiring in the consol. Disconnect the end that isn't attached to the shifter base.

6. Get a small flat head screw driver and and insert it into the connector and pry out the Red Plastic Wire Aligner. This will free up the the two O/D wires on the far end of the connector.

7. Pull the two wires out noting the position of each. The remove the whole shifter top assembly and then you can get to the Solenoid.

You might also want to remove the consol at this point. It makes it easier to work on and also allows you to clean up all the crap that's fallen inside of it. There are 3 screws in the base of the CD holder in the consol as well as 2 on each side of the front. There are 2 screw hidden under a trim peice at the top under the stereo. Good luck!

My `96 GL is missing the gate that all that is hooked to. I can go from Park to L1 and back to Park without touching the brakes. The car doesn't even need to be on!

I've had the plastic gate your speaking of get caught in a weird angle not allowing your to shift it into park (This is why I'm so well informed of how to disassemble the thing) maybe this happened at some point and it popped off. I could get you the part you need...I think I would have to look at it.