I just flushed my ps fluid replaced it with RP ATF now it is hard to get out of park. I spent 10 minutes this morning stuck in park with my foot smashing the brake pedal tring to pop it loose. Is there some air stuck in there?

 

can't answer your question but i just flushed mine yesterday and have no shifting problems and no differance in shifting from before the flush

 

Just flushed mine this morning. No shifting problems. I am not sure how the pump interacts with the brakes. But call me dumb but maybe turn the wheel left and right. All the way while holding and pumping the brake peddle. Maybe air but i doubt it. They tend to prime pretty easily. another thought , When you pulled the return line hose off did you accidentally knock off the wire going to the brake master cylinder? I was rubbing my wire connections pretty good trying to get that darn hose clamp off. I don't know squat about how things work. Just some thoughts here.

Dan

 

I don't see what changing the Powersteering fluid has to do with the trans. Did you mean trans fuid flush?

 

The power steering pump is also the power brakes booster. He may have screwed something up while playing with it.

 

There is a micro switch that needs to be operated when you step on the brake, for you to be able to get it out of park. Make sure the brake light come on when you step on the brakes. Otherwise I believe you can turn the key just before start and the lever can go from park to R, (of course the trunk will be off at the time)

Dave.

 

Good to know, note to self "don't mess with the PS pump."

 

208k plus miles and I've better things to do than find things wrong that ain't wrong and then making a wrong. Then come in here and look for help fixing something that I had should not have been fooling with in the first place. You wanta change something, do your crankcase oil and filter and your fuel filter, air filter, but why fool with a power steering pump that was giving you no problems to start with?

 

I'm with Dave on this one. There's probably an issue with the transmission safety interlock circuit or switch. Just changing the power steering fluid by itself shouldn't cause this, but you may have knocked a wiring connection loose. As Dave said, check the wiring connection around your brake pedal linkage. Also, there's a possibilty that the safety interlock is on a different set of contacts in the switch than those that operate the brake lights. Unfortunately, I'm not at home and can't look at my service manual or schematics.

As for lecturing you for messing with something that was working okay to begin with (if it ain't broke, don't fix it!), it's unfortunate that you happen to be the ONLY ONE of us who has ever done this and that NONE of the rest of us has ever had this happen!

Imperfection is part of being human. We all make mistakes. I feel that this is what this forum is for, the exchange of ideas and the search for answers to questions without someone trying to make you feel like a fool for asking. After all, the only cure for ignorance is the search for knowledge.

I think it's safe to say that 99.9% of the fine folks here have no qualms about helping you with your problems regardless of the nature of the question.

 

I don't think I fall into the 1/10th of a percent catogory, at least when it comes to this forum. Was I not the first to point out the fact that fooling with the brake booster pump is what probably caused the current problem in the first place?

 

i blew a hose on my powersteeing and after replacing it put in powersteering fluid by mistake, so i had to flush the system but i'm glad i did cause with it came a noticable differance in the ease of the steering. my trucks a 99. now even if there was nothing wrong with the system, knowing what i know now, and how it turns much smoother, i would recommend changing the fluid, (for one of those-nothing better to do days)

 

When i flushed out mine this morning. It came out like coffee and it stunk. Mine had 90k miles. Glad i did it. Now it puurrttty red. My Dad stopped over and said "hey what you doing". After i showed him what came out. He asked if i can do his after he picks up some ATF. Maintenance is always good. But sometimes it bites you, better still none the less. I am always looking for maintenance items to perform on her. Rear Dif. is next.

I turned on key. Can't shift into park. Step on brake. It shifts.
I tried to unplug the brake reservoir and I can't get it to unplug to see if it stops me from shifting. I fought with it. It started to rain so i gave up. I know it measures brake level fluid but if you unplug it(or break a wire) not sure if it will lock you out from shifting out of park. Tomorrow i will grab a mirror and see how that dang plug unhooks. Good trouble shooting information for future reference.

Dan

 

Did i get hijacked?

anyway I am thinking having the wife turn the wheel and step on the brakes probably had something to do with it.

The fluid dropped a little over the last few days telling me that there was some air in there. I will queef some more air out and hope it doesnt happen anymore.

it sure is embarrasing being stuck in park

 

did you keep the resourvior full during the whole flush, its important not to let it get below cause thats when you can get air in it. just like bleeding your brake system.
i put my front end up on jacks and did the whole thing alone. with the return line off and pumping the brakes and turning the wheel it doesn't come out that fast so you can do it alone.

 

Still couldn't get the wire unplugged at the reservoir to see it it locks me out from shifting to help troubleshoot yours. Can not see how it disconnects.

But did some searches and found these that might help. Most offer fuses as a problem.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...ver-stuck.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/3...-is-stuck.html

May be worthy of some fuse checking. Check with OHM meter when possible from what i read. Not by sight only
My manual says passenger fuse panel: (anything that said "brake")
#15 Brake shift interlock.
#24 ABS system
#28 Brake shift interlock

Power distribution:
#14 ABS system

I gargled mine due to my wife not stopping of turning the wheel when i dropped my atf jug on the driveway and i fell off my 5 gallon pale that i was standing on. It bled the air our rather quickly.

Dan