Doesn't Make Sense

[cabinetman]

I had to take an Explorer to the dealer today for some warranty work. Actually this is the second time for this repair. Pressing the brake pedal to get it out of park happens about 1 out of 4 times.

I don't know what they did the first time. Supposedly, this time they are changing the shifter. The service writer said even when this problem doesn't exist, a burned out brake bulb will keep the "locked in park".

That just doesn't make sense. Granted all that is on the same circuit so to speak, but it seems there would be a by-pass if a bulb burns out, allowing to shift out of park.

.

[Pappy]

Not that hard to believe. The electriacal systems are so complex and integrated that a lot of strange things happen.

[TB Roye]

Cab

Look down near the Kick Panel along side the parking brake pedal. There used to be a lever you could pull to release the parking brake in those situations.

Tom

[mpc]

Many slushbox equipped cars (auto transmissions) have a small door near the shift lever; pop this out and use something to push the mechanism inside it to manually over-ride the shift lock. The doors are typically about a quarter inch by half inch rectangle (i.e. so a spare key fits in 'em) and have "Shift Lock" labels nearby.

The details of how this over-ride is supposed to work should be described in the owner's manual.

mpc

[leehljp]

Many slushbox equipped cars (auto transmissions) have a small door near the shift lever; pop this out and use something to push the mechanism inside it to manually over-ride the shift lock. The doors are typically about a quarter inch by half inch rectangle (i.e. so a spare key fits in 'em) and have "Shift Lock" labels nearby.

The details of how this over-ride is supposed to work should be described in the owner's manual.

mpc

Our van has that small door (1/4 by 12 inch) near the shift lever also. I was wondering about it myself and LOML pulled out the owners manual and read about that. It didn't make sense to me either. I couldn't figure out what the "locked in Park" was all about. Now I know.