Gear indicator is inaccurate

[Thunderpriest]

Have a problem with the gear shift indicator on my 2001 Explorer Sport.
While exiting a parking structure 4 days ago, I heard a thump in the rear, as if something struck the underside of the vehicle. Shortly afterwards (around 2 corners) I seemed to lose forward gears. I believe I was actually in Neutral at this point. I could only get the vehicle to move if I shifted to "2". (Actually, between D and 2)
I managed to get home and called a friend who is much more mechanically inclined than am I. (He is a boat mechanic) He crawled under the truck to inspect it. He suspected a transmission mount problem, but said it appears to not be a problem.
He said that the gear shift cable may have stretched or slipped and that I should be fine to drive, but that the selector is simply reading incorrectly. I do appear to have all of my normal gears, Park, Reverse, etc. You just have to know that the indicator has shifted position.
Been driving it this weekend without any problems, but I am concerned that the selector will slip again and that I'll lose the capability to drive it at all.
I can't get the vehicle into the shop until tax returns come in, and I feel like I'm pushing my luck.

Any advice?

 

[rego]

There is a small torx or allen head bolt that has been known to come loose and fall out. If it fell out you may find it on your floor board. Also the PRNDL is adjustable. This can be done in the steering column. The thump may have been tranny getting bumped into neutral while accelerating, but that is just a guess.

 

[Thunderpriest]

Thanks for the reply.

If the bolt did fall out, from where would it have come? Where must I return it?

Also, if I simply adjust the indicator, do I run the risk of having problems with the selector in the future?
My friend did suggest that I have it looked at at some point, but I am a poster child for Murphy's Law and am just waiting for the other shoe to drop.


If the truck dies on me, I'll have no way to get to work, the family will starve, I'll revert to a life of crime and be caught immediately.
LOL

I just don't want a seemingly minor issue to become a large problem in the near future.

 

[rego]

Search "shift selector indicator" for pages of info.

 

[Thunderpriest]

Search "shift selector indicator" for pages of info.

Got it.
I think I may have seen the light!

So, if the gear selector had a loose or missing bolt, the gear could've changed into Neutral, hence the noise and loss of forward drive. This would also explain why the indicator is wrong.

I will search the truck for this problem today after work.
I have seen a picture of the gear selector bracket, but it didn't mention how to gain access. Can you see the bracket from underneath the dash, or is some disassembly required?

Thanks!!!

 

[chris.cfox]

So, if the gear selector had a loose or missing bolt, the gear could've changed into Neutral, hence the noise and loss of forward drive. This would also explain why the indicator is wrong.

I believe the indicator simply connects from the gear shift lever on the steering column to the actual indicator in the instrument panel, i.e. would not have changed what gear you are in regardless of if it works or not.
I just checked mine last week and had to remove the hood release assembly, then the trim piece that goes around it, and then the steel plate (knee bolster I think is the name of it) to get access. Like said before, just do a search and look at the multiple pictures of how it should look and how it looks when its broken. Or just go here: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198087

 

[Thunderpriest]

Understood.
Will get working on this tonight.

 

[BrianDye]

This is a great post from the above mentioned thread. It helped my in my last Explorer (95 Sport), the indicator was "1" off, for example, D was actually 2, R was actually N, etc.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2109009&postcount=11

And here is an overshot, also credit to above thread.

Where are you from in Monroe? Its nice to see a fellow X owner on here from Monroe. Only a few close to it even.

 

[Thunderpriest]

Actually, just outside of Monroe in Newport.

 

[BrianDye]

I used to live off Pointe Aux Peaux road, right on the Monroe/Newport line, my girlfriend lives way out in Newport on Telegraph so I'm in Newport everyday, I'm sure weve seen eachother a time or two

 

[chris.cfox]

Just got my replacement from Tousley Ford Parts and thought it might help people to see how it is connected. As the loop on the right side (which connects to the gear shift lever under the dash) is pulled, the spring (on the left in the second picture) controls the location of the red line. That silver piece, in the second picture, is the red line in the front. This is from the front of the part replacement.

And this is from the top of the replacement.

 

[chris.cfox]

I ordered this because the end that connects to the spring had frayed and come apart from the spring. So there really was no reason for me to order a new assembly because it is simply a wire, or fishing line, going from a spring to a lever. So it might save you a couple bucks to try a DIY fix now that you see it.

 

[Thunderpriest]

Well, I did discover that the torx bolts had become loose, so those have been tightened.
I also found that the thumbwheel bracket has broken, but it's broken on the "selector" side with the bare wire. The zip tie fix will not work.
As long as that's the only problem, I can live with the indicator being off a bit.
Thanks for the replies!!

 

[2000StreetRod]

not above D

For several months now my shift indicator will not move past D even though all gear selections are available and functional when selected. It is just an inconvenience and a pain to correct. I plan to fix it in a few months along with replacing all of the lights in the instrument panel.