2001 Sport Trac Stuck in Park

[mikejj24]

My 2001 Explorer Sport Trac is stuck in Park. I am trying to get it limp home without having it towed.
It has the shifter on the column (automatic). I can start the vehicle, turn the wheels etc, and remove the
key etc no problem....the shifter just will not budge out of park.

I looked all over the place for some sort of override button on it like I have seen described on 2002 models and others etc.
to no avail. I also saw mention of broken brake lights/fuse as a possible cause, but all the brake lights
and turn signals etc. all seem to be good. I also tried to just turn the key to the first stop without starting it,
and disconnected the battery. It still will not budge at all.

Any suggestions of things I might be overlooking? Maybe the brake lights can work but the steering lock part is
not or something along those lines. Any help would be greatly appreciated. They will probably tow it to the city
yard before long and that will cost a bunch.

 

[Josh P]

Do you have anyone to help you? If so remove the shifter linkage off the side of the transmission and put it in drive. You'd need someone inside the car to have their foot on the brake and start it before moving it from park

 

[mikejj24]

I would have "shot the ole' girl" a long time ago, but my dad who passed away recently, gave this truck to my son.
He used to let him drive it when he was like 12 at the farm. My son absolutely loves the old girl. It will be a shame if
I have to finally junk it, even though it has been an absolute "hanger queen" for a very long time.

 

[Josh P]

I would have "shot the ole' girl" a long time ago, but my dad who passed away recently, gave this truck to my son.
He used to let him drive it when he was like 12 at the farm. My son absolutely loves the old girl. It will be a shame if
I have to finally junk it, even though it has been an absolute "hanger queen" for a very long time.

I don't own a sport trac and my fords are a lot older so I may not be the best person to assist you. Something I realized after posting, I believe there's a shifter interlock solenoid. My friend has an 04 excursion with this solenoid going out so it gets stuck in park at random. With his car, I can turn the key to the run position to get the shifter to neutral to start it.

 

[mikejj24]

Thanks for whatever help you can offer, much appreciated. If the run position is turning the key one stop towards actually starting it, I have already tried that. I have not tried to turn the key backwards like what I would call accessory mode. Do you know if it can be towed in this state, stuck in park? Does it take a special tow vehicle maybe?

 

[Mbrooks420]

You’d have to drag it up on a flatbed to tow it stuck in park. I’d suspect the interlock solenoid as mentioned above.

 

[410Fortune]

Yes brake shift interlock

There is a simple solenoid in your steering column it keeps the shifter from leaving park until you depress the brake

You can remove the knee guard with a 7mm drop two 7mm screws and the two holding the hood opener latch, the plastic cover pulls upwards and off
Several 8mm and then the metal guard comes off
4ea 14mm nuts and the steering wheel will drop down enough to where you can see the shifter linkage and the brake shift interlock

Otherwise you can have somebody in drivers seat w foot on brake as you physically shift the trans into d and drive to the shop for repair. If doing this unhook the shift cable and manually shift the trans, driver in seat truck running 4 clicks back is drive (p n r d)

Let us know what you decide
I have pics if the column shifter and brake interlock solenoid

 

[mikejj24]

Yes brake shift interlock

There is a simple solenoid in your steering column it keeps the shifter from leaving park until you depress the brake

You can remove the knee guard with a 7mm drop two 7mm screws and the two holding the hood opener latch, the plastic cover pulls upwards and off
Several 8mm and then the metal guard comes off
4ea 14mm nuts and the steering wheel will drop down enough to where you can see the shifter linkage and the brake shift interlock

Otherwise you can have somebody in drivers seat w foot on brake as you physically shift the trans into d and drive to the shop for repair. If doing this unhook the shift cable and manually shift the trans, driver in seat truck running 4 clicks back is drive (p n r d)

Let us know what you decide
I have pics if the column shifter and brake interlock solenoid

Pics would be helpful if you have them. I have already removed most of the stuff your describing. Is there some way I can remove the solenoid itself, bypass it, or physically actuate it somehow to allow the shifter to be unlocked, or do I have to replace the part onsite?

 

[410Fortune]

You saw this and tried the bypass
Method?

Help with 1999 Explorer, 2 Issues.

Hi, apologize for the lengthy descriptions, but here's the situation. Problem 1: I believe something might be up with brake-shift interlock; I'm unable to shift from park (seems locked) unless I go through the whole "override" method, which involves me having to put the key in the ignition...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[410Fortune]

You can easily Bypass it by pressing in its plunger with a screwdriver or
You could also just remove the solenoid, two gold torque screws hold it down
With it removed you can shift freely

 

[mikejj24]

I may not have tried it exactly, not totally sure what the Lock and Off mean:

"Apply the parking brake, turn the ignition key to LOCK, then remove the key"

"Insert the key and turn it to OFF, Apply the brake pedal and shift to neutral"

I assume the first part is just like you were home and you turn the vehicle off and remove the key etc. - they call that LOCK?

If so what is OFF?

If you have PICS of where this solenoid is, what it looks like and what plunger to push etc. Can this be down without dropping the steering column?

 

[410Fortune]

Lock would be with the steering wheel locked like if you try to turn the wheel with no key in… with wheel locked and key in off position

Just my best guess, that could apply only to third gens for all I know

Here is what the brake interlock solenoid looks like,
I just replaced a column shifter the other day so I have some loose parts here

This is from a 2000 ranger same column as 95-01 explorer 02-04 sport and trac

 

[Motorhogman]

This happened to my 2000 sport a while back. The C clip that holds the linkage on the solenoid fell off.

 

[mikejj24]

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. I took the steering column clam shells off etc. and was trying to figure something out when I noticed a small pin about 11/2 inch was on the floor. This pin completely fell out of the shifter where it attaches to the column. It would not go back in there at first because the shifter was pushed down too far and the hole where the pin resides was not visible. I lifted up on the shifter handle and it just popped right out. I reinstalled it and was able to get the pin in there and then it just slid out of park effortlessly. I was able to drive it home and will be able to put it all back together there. Did not have to pay to have it towed after all. The lesson is that on these old Sport Tracs, the first thing to look for is something that came loose or fell apart!