Help. Cannot get trans out of park.

mustang-usa · 08-30-2009

I have a 1997 3.8L Mustang with A/T. When in park, the thumb button on the left side of the shifter cannot be pushed in. It will crank but I must "play" with it to get it out of park. I have placed a set screw beside the button to keep it engauged at all times. Could it be the neutal safety switch (I hear from other people) & if so where is it located? I replaced the brake switch but did not help.

surpasser · 08-30-2009

did u step on the brake when move the shift?

mustang-usa · 08-31-2009

Yes. The brake must be pushed down to move the shifter on any car now. In hot weather it would engauge easier but you would never get it out of Park in cold weather. Once I had to let the heater (it was cold) warm up the car before it would shift out of Park. That took around 30 minutes of waiting & waiting to leave after a ball game.

Markstang690 · 08-31-2009

seems like the shifter button itself is faulty or something since you replaced the brake sensor.. perhaps someone else will have some more certain advice..

fredfifty · 08-31-2009

sometimes you have to play with the steering wheel in a turning motion and shift it out of park at the same time...

232-K7 · 08-31-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredfifty

sometimes you have to play with the steering wheel in a turning motion and shift it out of park at the same time...

???

if the ignition is locked, then you would shake the steering wheel back and forth while trying to turn the key.

however, if the key is not turned at least to ACC ON, the shifter will not move unless you override it. and if the key is in ACC ON then the ignition will not be locked...so im not sure what exactly you mean there...

fredfifty · 08-31-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by 232-K7

???

if the ignition is locked, then you would shake the steering wheel back and forth while trying to turn the key.

whoops, thats what i was tryna say...my mistake

RonM3 · 10-21-2009

I have this exact same problem. It doesn’t happen unless the car is cold. I believe that there is a solenoid causing this. It seems to be getting cold natured and won’t work until the car warms up. Does anybody know for sure what causes this? If it is the solenoid then how do you get it out?

Oh by the way my Mustang is also a 1997 V6 Mustang.