The TC spooked me a bit today. I was visiting in the village when I stopped to pet some neighbor's dogs. When I got back in the Connect it would not shift out of park. I wiggled the wheel, rocked the vehicle, and so forth, to no avail.


Finally I called the Ford emergency number and arranged to have the van towed. A little later I was talking with a friend and mentioned the problem and he said that he had a similar problem with a Honda with a stuck steering wheel lock. He tried his spare key and everything was fine. So, I tried a spare key and everything worked fine. Then I tried the key I had been using and it worked fine. Then I called the tow company and Ford an cancelled the trip to the shop.


Any ideas on what is going on here?

 

I haven't really had it happen often, and can't remember it ever happening on a Ford. Last one I remember was a Dodge Charger. That one had an actual broken linkage, but there was a way to over ride it by popping the one panel off and pulling on a little pink tab. Google doesn't show me the quick responses I found I was looking for the Dodge override.. I suppose its more common on them.

On the big Transits I find the steering wheel lock often needs some pressure released (Turn the wheel) to turn the ignition cylinder, but I haven't experienced that in the TC.

It generally boils down to either an electric failure or a linkage failure. I think most times its electric. Whatever conditions need to be met to release the shifter are not being met according the the computer. I'd do some research on what all sensors there are and see what ones have mechanical switches and inspect them first. If some dirt has prevented them from sliding it would not recognize the change in conditions. This is not advise based on my working with Ford Sales, but rather being a self proclaimed hack mechanic in my back yard, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

Evan, What year is your TC?.. I do recall something similar on the older TC's but nothing on the new TC's except once in a while the automatic seem to be sluggish when shifting.. almost to the point where it shift hard..

 

I suspect it might be weather. I live in a dese and we've been having rain. Whatever, I hope I donj't see it again.


I have a 2015 TC. In 2014 the TC under went some major changes I suspect that I will be some new stuff. This one surprised me--but don't the all?


anyway, everything is working fine now and I am back to happy. I was particularly happy with Fords 'response. Ford did the heavy lifting, called the tow company, alerted the dealer, and so forth.

 

I'm glad everything is resolved, EvanBly; thanks for coming back and sharing your outcome with us. If you'd like me to document your feedback about your experience, just send a PM my way with your full name, best daytime phone number, dealer info, and any details you'd like me to include. Leave the rest to me.

Crystal

 

Hold on there Crystal, all is not well.


The darned thing left me in park, again. I went to the tree bar and had some coffee and discussion with friends, went back and everything worked. I drove home, turned off the engine, restarted and the vehicle would not go from park.


And so, I called my friendly ford emergency number and the vehicle is going to be picked up in a hour or so. The pick is fast, but it appears that the Ford service department may not get to the problem until 6 days from now. That doesn't please me, but it doesn't bother me too much since I am leaving the village tomorrow for a trip--one I won't be doing with the TC.


No, we'll be making the trip in my wife's Subaru. I've lost some ground here. I buy Ford, my wife buys Japanese. Or, as she says, she buys the good cars. You can figure out the rest of what she says.


To me, this is the worst kind of problem--intermittent. Since the problem has occurred two days in a row I'm hoping that it shows up for the Ford folks.


So, Crystal, if you're still here, that's where we're at. I can handle the wait, I'm a patient guy. What I would like, however, is for the vehicle to be delivered back to me when the fix is done. I live in the outback and I do not like having to drive into the city. The trip will mean that my wife, with her Subaru, will be driving me in while I'll be eating crow. I hate eating crow.

 

Let's see what I can do to save a crow or two, EvanBly. What's your Transit's model year/mileage? I'll start checking out some ways to help.

Crystal

 

Crystal;


Thank you for your participation in this. I have a 2015 Transit Connect with just over a 1000 miles. Don't worry about the time factor here since I'll be out of town until Monday. It would be nice to have the vehicle delivered back to me when it's repaired; on the other hand it might not be a bad idea for me to go into town and meet the service folks at my nearest dealership.


So, for the moment, I would appreciate it if you just keep an eye on this thread in case I run into a problem that can help me with.


I am not too exercised over this event. I realize that this model is relatively new and that there is generally some shake down in any new adventure.

 

Sounds good, EvanBly. I'll be here if you need me to jump in and help.

Crystal

 

While on the road got a call from my service tech--the vehicle started and went from park with no problems. Of course. But, he said, the ABS light is on. I told him that the truck was his until he figured out the park problem and that when the vehicle left my hands the ABS light was not on. I don't know what's happening, but I'm glad its in someone else's hands.


Think I'm going to have a drink (maybe two). I wonder if my ford emergency service covers alcohol?

 

I don't think Ford emergency svc covers alcohol unless they come out with a can of gas for you if you run out. In that case, you will get 10% alcohol but the gasoline will not be a good mixer Better to buy some cheap beer, wine, or Vodka...

No insight on the park issue. I was originally thinking the steering lock was putting pressure on the ignition lock and that the wheel needed to be turned slightly to relieve the pressure. But this would keep you from turning the key, not from shifting out of park so it is not your problem.

There has to be some kind of electronic lock within the shifter mechanism, and I'm thinking that the solenoid (or whatever clears the shift gate for you) is either working intermittently or maladjusted so it does not fully release every time. I think most vehicles with an electric shifter interlock have a defeat switch somewhere--like under a little cover that you pry up and insert a paper clip or something. The defeat switch is not a permanent solution but if you gotta drive somewhere in an emergency, could save you.

There will be a brake pedal interlock on the shifter as well (keeps you in park unless you put your foot on the brake), so the problem could be in that circuit or switch. Usually that switch is shared with the brake lights. As a wild thought, is it possible your brake lights are not coming on when the shifter is stuck? Could be a bad switch or bad adjustment of that switch keeping you in park...I think the shifter lock uses the same switch as the brake lights but I could be wrong there.

Good luck, bud. Very unlikely I will get a TC in any near term scenario. My Daily Driver is a Subaru Forester which is dependable and excellent...but it did need new head gaskets at 72k miles (and I fortunately bought a 6/80 warranty on it).

Again, I hope you can find the issue,
George

 

Thank you George. You present me with a number of possibilities--I presume my dealership is working through those.


Whatever the glitch, do you suppose the computer might have a record of the problem?


I'm with you on the Subaru. My wife's Forester is at 135,000 and running well. If Subaru made a mini van I'd probably be all over it. But then again, Subaru went big with the Tribeca and it turned out to be a major disappointment.


I had looked at the Nissan/Chevy mini but I did not like the longer wheel base and small tires, and I was wary of the CV trans (Honda uses the continuous variable trans and has just initiated a major recall). It takes a while to work the bugs out of new stuff which why I went for a 2015 rather than a 2014 Connect.


The Fiat/Dodge was yet another option, but again it came in a longer wheel base than I wanted. And I've never had a high regard for either Dodge or Fiat.


And there's this--the Transit Connect has a style that I like, a powerful small motor, and transmission that I like (until this glitch). I just hope that this glitch at 1000 miles is not a portent of the future.

 

Good luck. Doubt that a switch malfunction would make it to the computer.

Tribeca failed because it was $30k compared to the Forester at $20k and all it gave you was a 3rd row barely suitable for small kids, only a few more cubic feet of cargo room than the Forester when all seats were folded, and a 6 cyl engine (which the turbo Forester could easily outrun). Not big enough to be a real 3-row SUV and ugly as heck with the original pig snout front end. And it came out right during the gas price hikes and got lousier gas mileage than the Forester.

I would not buy a Fiat van (or car) under any circumstances and both that and the Nissan are designed even more as small commercial city vans. My preference would be to go bigger and go Chrysler, Honda, or Toyota, but they don't make cargo versions. (The Ram C/V which they made thru 2014 or 2015 was actually really nice but that is replaced by the Fiat.)

I think it will work out fine for you in the end. Again, see if there is a manual lock-defeat switch on the shifter in case you have an emergency and the thing sticks on you. One of my concerns was that it is built in Spain and if there is not a large market share in the US, parts and service will be hard to find. But TC's are popping up all over the place so I think they will become common which is a good thing.

Good luck,
George

 

According to the manifest that came with the Connect, 10% came from Canada, the trans came from France, the motor comes from the U.S., assembly took place in Spain, who knows where all the other pieces/parts came from. That most of the vans I am seeing are in commercial service leads to me believe that parts can't be far behind.


When I get the vehicle back home I will be checking for the defeat feature. Hopefully by the time the warranty is up I will have a much better understanding of where everything is.

 

I found the 2015 TC owners manual on fleet.ford.com (great resource) and on p. 127 there are instructions to unlock the shifter from the park position. It involves removing the bezel from around the shifter and then using a white lever to the right of the gearshift to flip off the lock.

Just keep the manual with you, or try removing the cover on an experimental basis to make sure you can do it. But plastic parts like the cover are prone to getting broken or scratched if you are not careful.

There must be an etronic mechanism to do this in that same shift tower location.

George