mweiss
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- November 5, 2002
- Messages
- 166
- Reaction score
- 2
- City, State
- New Milford, CT
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1998 & 2006 Explorers
The column shifter on my 98 X has gotten to a point where it can no longer get into low gear and has difficulty getting into park. I usually can start the engine if I slam the shifter into Park. Last week, my wife borrowed the truck and at the end of the day, called me saying it won't start. I gave her the instructions to run the shifter through it's range of motion and to slam it hard into Park. She got the truck started.
Today, that almost didn't work for me. I was stuck at a location across town and numerous back and forth slamming efforts to get the interlock switch to engage didn't work. I was to the point of having to walk home. Then I tried one last time and it cranked over.
This has been getting worse over the past couple of years. Last year, I researched what it would take to fix it and realized it was beyond my tools and lack of a garage to work on it. And anything that involves removing the air bag I don't touch.
The vehicle is badly rusted with a frame that's on it's last leg. But I still need to drive it as I have no ability to afford to buy someone else's 10 year old problem vehicle. If I can bypass that switch, I can still start the engine. The question is, where does that lockout for Park connect to and where can I bypass it? To be clear, the truck thinks it's NOT in Park when it's in Park so the engine won't crank over. That switch is preventing me from starting the truck, even when the vehicle is in park sufficiently that it's locked the wheels, but not enough to engage the switch.
Today, that almost didn't work for me. I was stuck at a location across town and numerous back and forth slamming efforts to get the interlock switch to engage didn't work. I was to the point of having to walk home. Then I tried one last time and it cranked over.
This has been getting worse over the past couple of years. Last year, I researched what it would take to fix it and realized it was beyond my tools and lack of a garage to work on it. And anything that involves removing the air bag I don't touch.
The vehicle is badly rusted with a frame that's on it's last leg. But I still need to drive it as I have no ability to afford to buy someone else's 10 year old problem vehicle. If I can bypass that switch, I can still start the engine. The question is, where does that lockout for Park connect to and where can I bypass it? To be clear, the truck thinks it's NOT in Park when it's in Park so the engine won't crank over. That switch is preventing me from starting the truck, even when the vehicle is in park sufficiently that it's locked the wheels, but not enough to engage the switch.