The gear shift indicator on my 99 3.0L 4x4 XLT seems to have detached. The little red plastic indicator is all the way over to the right. I had the dash off yesterday and it seems that the indicator is functional (it's spring-loaded and I could move it with my finger) but I can not figure out how it attaches to the shifter itself...

Any thoughts? And is it a very difficult fix???

Many thanks!!!

 

This is from my Ford manual.


Cable/Bracket Adjustment — Shift Indicator Cable

1. Remove the upper instrument panel steering column cover (04459); refer to «Section 501-12».

2. Place the gearshift lever in the (D) position.

l Rotate the gearshift leverclockwise until it bottoms out (first gear), then rotate two detents counterclockwise ((D) position).

3. Hang the 1.4 kg (3 lb) weight on the gearshift lever.

µ 4. Center the pointer in the middle of the (D) position.

l Rotate the thumbwheel located on the bottom of the steering column to adjust the pointer.

5. Remove the 1.4 kg (3 lb) weight.

6. Carefully move the gearshift lever from detent and compare with the transmission settings.

l Readjust if necessary.

7. Install the upper instrument panel steering column cover; refer to «Section 501-12».

 

the loop at the end of the cable goes into a little peg that fits in the hole on the shifter. I had my instrument cluster out 2 days ago to replace some burnt out bulbs and had to remove the cable to remove the cluster. If there is no little white peg at the end of your cable look on the floor, if it hasn't been vacumed up yet.

 

Thanks for the tips...I'll give it a try this weekend....

 

If this is the one with the little thumbwheel (plastic), they usually break where it attaches to the bottom of the column. The wheel sit in a pocket and one of the ears will break sending the indicator all the way to the right. Sometimes they can be zip-tied back together depending on which "ear" broke.

 

Thanks stepman...good to know my options!