can't get out of park

golfvw1 · 10-04-2006, 03:27 PM

the other day i parked my car. the next morning when i got up to go to work, i could not get it to come out of park, it was stuck. i have a 99 escort se 4.0 liter automatic. i'm guessing it's a transmission problem, but it was running just fine when i parked it. any suggestions or ideas as to how much $$ it will cost?

liteman · 10-04-2006, 05:29 PM

I had the same problem once with a little Blazer of mine.
My mechanic parked it...When I got in, it was stuck in park.

It was parked on an incline, so I pushed it uphill (just an inch or two), and the shifter then came out of park.

Try rocking the car forward and back a few times while trying to get the shifter to move. If your on a hill, you might need someone to push your car, with their car...

I'd like to know if it works, let me know.

halibutk · 10-16-2006, 05:50 PM

I had the same problem last summer...The shift brake interlock is probably busted. Unfortunatly it isnt really accessible to replace as its on steering column and mechanics wanted to charge me hundreds of dollars to replace/fix

However i found a way to save money.

If you look at the atuomatic console youll see a little hole you can unpry . its to the right of the shift. I used a screw driver for a while but now I use a shishkabob(sp) skewer and keep it in my visor. If you put something long enough in that hole to depress the button it resets the brake shift interlock. I drive ghetto now by everytime to shift out of park I skewer my control console but it beats paying hundreds of dollars to get it fixed and isnt that much an inconvience.

jldude · 10-20-2006, 12:24 PM

Also, a good possibility is the electrical circuit. Beleive it or not, a underdash fuse controls the shift interlock as well. It also controls your turn signals I beleive, and your backup lights. Check your fuses. If you replace one and it fixes your problem, beware of a soon to fail starter relay. My '95 Contour did this repeatedly. Only I didn't take the hint of constantly blowing fuses, put in a 30amp, and fried a circuit. Not good, $450 to fix, and it's still not working right.