picture may not be same as yours
weird selector shifter problem
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 302
Likes: 14
From: central fl
weird selector shifter problem
Put foot on brake, selector in P it will start but will not shift.
Put foot on brake, turn key on, put selector in N it will start and shift R or D as normal EXCEPT do not shift to P as it will lock up and you have to start all over again.
Selector is basically aligned on the letters appropriately.
Thanks.
o1 F150 supercrew 5.4
Put foot on brake, turn key on, put selector in N it will start and shift R or D as normal EXCEPT do not shift to P as it will lock up and you have to start all over again.
Selector is basically aligned on the letters appropriately.
Thanks.
o1 F150 supercrew 5.4
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,907
Likes: 143
You have two actions that have to be satisfied.
1. The shift lock relay has to operate with foot on brake to move shift selector out of PARK.
2. The transmission switch (DTR) has to close through the start lead in Park or Neutral to allow cranking.
From how you discribe it, I can't tell what your having an issue with.
Apparently the shift lock is working but the Park starting issue does not make sense, at this point.
The shift lock action and start lead through the DTR have no connection to each other.
In Park or Neutral you should be able to crank/start the motor independently of the shift lock without putting foot on brake.
Consult your owner manuel for fusing that controls shift lock, first.
Then suspect the DTR switch down at the transmission.
It may be as simple as connector corrosion.
Good luck.
1. The shift lock relay has to operate with foot on brake to move shift selector out of PARK.
2. The transmission switch (DTR) has to close through the start lead in Park or Neutral to allow cranking.
From how you discribe it, I can't tell what your having an issue with.
Apparently the shift lock is working but the Park starting issue does not make sense, at this point.
The shift lock action and start lead through the DTR have no connection to each other.
In Park or Neutral you should be able to crank/start the motor independently of the shift lock without putting foot on brake.
Consult your owner manuel for fusing that controls shift lock, first.
Then suspect the DTR switch down at the transmission.
It may be as simple as connector corrosion.
Good luck.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 19,760
Likes: 1,079
From: St Louis
See my signature and get one.
Check fuses F6 & F15 under the dash.
If the shift lever is tight (no slop) and the starter operates properly in both P and N positions, there's no problem with either the DTR switch or the shifter mechanism. You probably have a simple shift lock actuator problem. Most likely, it's due to a fault with the brake light switch. The brake light switch is a two-part switch. One part is for the brake lights, the other part is for signalling the position of the pedal to the other electronics in the truck, basically the cruise control and the shift interlock.
Here's a two part quick check: 1) Do the brake lights work? 2) Go for a drive and engage the cruise. Tap the brake pedal. Does the cruise disengage properly?
The answers to those two questions will help isolate the issue.
Check fuses F6 & F15 under the dash.
If the shift lever is tight (no slop) and the starter operates properly in both P and N positions, there's no problem with either the DTR switch or the shifter mechanism. You probably have a simple shift lock actuator problem. Most likely, it's due to a fault with the brake light switch. The brake light switch is a two-part switch. One part is for the brake lights, the other part is for signalling the position of the pedal to the other electronics in the truck, basically the cruise control and the shift interlock.
Here's a two part quick check: 1) Do the brake lights work? 2) Go for a drive and engage the cruise. Tap the brake pedal. Does the cruise disengage properly?
The answers to those two questions will help isolate the issue.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 302
Likes: 14
From: central fl
Checked all fusses under dash and they were fine.
Brake lights work.
Aplying the brakes disengages cruise as it should.
Just now went and fiddled with it some more. The shifter seems to be as tight as the rest of my trucks.
It starts fine in P or N but the needle is actually to the right of ea. position that it's supposed to be in (almost halfwy inbetween).
Twice I was able to push it up from park with considerable force and it then went down into the other gears as is should.
I also noticed that as I mentioned once you get it moving don't put it back in park, well you can shift it back up to P just don't let it rest back in the notch or its locked there, until you start the whole process over again.
Brake lights work.
Aplying the brakes disengages cruise as it should.
Just now went and fiddled with it some more. The shifter seems to be as tight as the rest of my trucks.
It starts fine in P or N but the needle is actually to the right of ea. position that it's supposed to be in (almost halfwy inbetween).
Twice I was able to push it up from park with considerable force and it then went down into the other gears as is should.
I also noticed that as I mentioned once you get it moving don't put it back in park, well you can shift it back up to P just don't let it rest back in the notch or its locked there, until you start the whole process over again.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,907
Likes: 143
At this point forget about pushing , pulling, begging, up, down etc.
You know how it's supposed to work.
At the bottom of the column, at the firewall under the dash, the shift rod has a lever attached.
This lever pushes and pulls on a cable that goes to the transmission to select the position and gear.
Get under the dash and look at this link for coming apart.
The inner cable may need lubing, or there may be something under the truck. causing the stiffness.
Your shifter lock is good, your Park/Neutral start circuit is ok and your brake switch is good..
Form here you should be able to see what's wrong.
After the issue is solved and you see the dash position indictor is off the spots, that is a different issue and has nothjing to do with shifting. It's only a position indicator that is adjustable if the plastic arm is not broken.
Go by feel for position first, then fix any position indicator error by adjusting a small wheel that sets a wire link to the indicator needle, up near the cluster area.
Get a good light in there so you can see.
Good luck.
You know how it's supposed to work.
At the bottom of the column, at the firewall under the dash, the shift rod has a lever attached.
This lever pushes and pulls on a cable that goes to the transmission to select the position and gear.
Get under the dash and look at this link for coming apart.
The inner cable may need lubing, or there may be something under the truck. causing the stiffness.
Your shifter lock is good, your Park/Neutral start circuit is ok and your brake switch is good..
Form here you should be able to see what's wrong.
After the issue is solved and you see the dash position indictor is off the spots, that is a different issue and has nothjing to do with shifting. It's only a position indicator that is adjustable if the plastic arm is not broken.
Go by feel for position first, then fix any position indicator error by adjusting a small wheel that sets a wire link to the indicator needle, up near the cluster area.
Get a good light in there so you can see.
Good luck.
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 19,760
Likes: 1,079
From: St Louis
Other than a slight maladjustment of the indicator (easy adjustment), it sounds more like the shifter and the cable are okay but the shift interlock is not properly releasing when the proper signals are applied.
Try this:
Turn ignition to RUN without starting engine.
Turn off radio and climate control so the truck is quiet.
Witht he shift lever in the P position, press and release the brake pedal several times and listen for a clicking coming from the steering column, not to be confused with any clicking from the brake pedal position switch.
You *should* be able to hear the interlock solenoid as it engages and releases in time with the brake pedal being released.
Try this:
Turn ignition to RUN without starting engine.
Turn off radio and climate control so the truck is quiet.
Witht he shift lever in the P position, press and release the brake pedal several times and listen for a clicking coming from the steering column, not to be confused with any clicking from the brake pedal position switch.
You *should* be able to hear the interlock solenoid as it engages and releases in time with the brake pedal being released.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 302
Likes: 14
From: central fl
I didn't hear anything clicking, I even put it in neutral where it does release, and heard nothing. But I don't hear anything in my F250 either (tried it just for comparison).
Coincidentally it did work correctly 2 or 3 times out of about 30 trying it.
Coincidentally it did work correctly 2 or 3 times out of about 30 trying it.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 302
Likes: 14
From: central fl
Well there is no stiffness. As Bluegrass suggested I crawled under the dash (and I thought my F250 was a pain).
Located end of shifter where it attached to cable and all is ok there however there is about 3/8" of cable showing, anyway, continued to fiddle with shifter and watching to see what went where and what happened, all appears to be ok and in place nothing binding or funky looking.
Got in the seat and now shifter is working normal, go figure??? But I went ahead and crawled underneath to see if there was anything binding or out of place and all appeared to be ok.
I even went back out amidst typing this to try it again and it's normal now.
Except for the indicator being substatially off, so now I will go see if I can cure that.
Located end of shifter where it attached to cable and all is ok there however there is about 3/8" of cable showing, anyway, continued to fiddle with shifter and watching to see what went where and what happened, all appears to be ok and in place nothing binding or funky looking.
Got in the seat and now shifter is working normal, go figure??? But I went ahead and crawled underneath to see if there was anything binding or out of place and all appeared to be ok.
I even went back out amidst typing this to try it again and it's normal now.
Except for the indicator being substatially off, so now I will go see if I can cure that.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 302
Likes: 14
From: central fl
Thanks for all the info even though I never found exactly what was wrong, it works now, for how long who knows, hopefully I won't have to reopen the thread.
As for the indicator the little retainer ring at the top of the thumbwheel was broke, which seems to be common so I just put a small ziptie on it and all is well.
Now onto the next issues.
Thanks again!
As for the indicator the little retainer ring at the top of the thumbwheel was broke, which seems to be common so I just put a small ziptie on it and all is well.
Now onto the next issues.
Thanks again!
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 462
Likes: 1
From: MN
There was a technical service bulletin on those shifter cables. The anchor part of the cable that attaches to the steel framing under the dash. The cables lock into a square hole and the locking nibs would wear and break off loosening the cable or detaching it all together. I found this out when I replaced mine. Ford redesigned/superseded the part more robustly. You may want to check it by watching and lightly pulling on the shifter cable where it attached underneath the dash on it's mounting point.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 302
Likes: 14
From: central fl
Since it seemed to be fixed it has been driven fine with no issues, but all may not be well.
I drove it this afternoon, when I got back this evening the key wouldn't turn back to off position and I couldn't remove it. It is a copy I had made but it has done fine two or three times until now. I finally played around enough it came on out.
I don't know if this is related or not but the steering wheel doesn't lock and you don't have to have your foot on the brake to shift out of park????
I drove it this afternoon, when I got back this evening the key wouldn't turn back to off position and I couldn't remove it. It is a copy I had made but it has done fine two or three times until now. I finally played around enough it came on out.
I don't know if this is related or not but the steering wheel doesn't lock and you don't have to have your foot on the brake to shift out of park????