I recently got a 96' F150 for my son (1 week). The second day I drove it It would not shift into drive unless you wiggled the ignition switch. and the ABS light came on and stays on.
The key cylinder appeared worn and loose so I replaced it and the electronic switch on the colum.

The Truck will shift into drive when you do not have your foot on the brake, if you put your foot on the brake it will not shift into drive.

Any suggestions?

 

I found part of my problem, a stupid little fuse, for the brake lights and the brake shift interlock.

I got a short some where. When I unplug the plig on the master cylinder the abs light goes out, the stupid thing will shift, but when I plug it back in the fuse blows and the AbS light comes on and won't shift.

Could that plug on the master cylinder be bad, it looks like it was recently replaced.

It wasn't in the ignition switches after all.

 

From reading the old threads on here, it sounds like it is either the pressure switch or the pedal switch.

This is a first for me, can I just unscrew the pressure switch and put a new one on, or do the brakes need bleeding to.

One of the old threads said it was the pedal switch.


I hope some- one reads this......

thank you

 

It is not the pedal switch either, replaced it today.
For the time being I just unplugged the switch on the master cylinder so it won't blow a fuse.
It will shift into gear now and the ABS light is out. After test driving, the brakes feel OK also.

Still need to get it checked to see why the fuse keeps blowing though.

Is it safe to drive it with that switch unplugged????????????????It seemed ok today.........

 

You should be able to drive with brake pressure switch unplugged; in fact it is safer if switch is leaking or bad. This switch deactivates cruise control when you depress the brake pedal as a backup to the mechanical switch on the brake pedal. you will need to either replace the switch and/or make sure the wiring is not shorted between the pressure switch and the speed control servo. This info is from 95 manual - I am not sure it is exactly the same for 96; there are changes made between the two years, OBD I vs OBD II etc. Good luck.

 

I have been driving it a few days now with the switch unplugged, the brakes seem to be working fine. And the brake lights and it will shift.

If I replace the switch on the master cylinder do the brakes need to be bled ?


From reading the threads on here this is quite common on these trucks.

The switch looks like it is new and has a new pigtail also, the previous owner must have had this problem also.