Shift to Park Warning

[peterk9]

Peter, What parts of the console did you have to remove to replace the shifter, I wouldn't think you have to remove the entire console to do so?

I didn't have the Shift to Park problem.

 

[Murphjup]

I didn't have the Shift to Park problem.

Understand, Thank you for the Link much appreciated!!

 

[Murphjup]

Well i had some time this morning and was able to change out my shifter for my 2012 Explorer Limited with a New shifter for this problem.

I reviewed the console assembly here...

http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/s420/2011-06-11_013157_2011_explorer_floor_console.pdf

All I did was remove the 7mm rear Bolt that holds the shifter surround. Along with the bolt the surround is attached with fours push clips. I put the shifter in the rear most gear. You lift on the surround it will unsnap from the attach points. the shift boot is clipped in the the chrome trim ring, I used a small screwdriver to release the clips. I also pulled the side panels away from the console by just pulling on the panels toward the top of the surround to help with access to the surround. You are then able to lift the surround rearward and remove it from over the shifter. The Shifter postion light strip is on the left side of the surround and basically uncliped itself. which helped me move the surround over to the right. I then released the two rear wire clips and was able to move the surround more over to the right, so I was able to access the shifter.

I removed the shifter cable by prying it off its stud with a screwdriver. I then removed the four 8MM shifter attach bolts. then I had to undo the shifter cable from the forward of the shifter assembly. The shifter cable is attached to the shifter assembly by a nylon ring which slides into the assembly. You release this by releasing the locking catch at the upper U shaped cutout, which I did with a narrow screwdriver, and pulling the cable towards the left as you do, it will slide out of the shifter assembly.

The next thing to do is just release the wiring from the shifter assembly by releasing the catch and pulling the connection apart.

I installed the new assembly in reverse order. As well as the shifter boot and the console surround. Then pushed the side panels back into position and installing the rear surround 7mm bolt.

All in all the job took my about an hour. I am halfway mechanical and I didn't think it was that difficult. Sorry, I didn't have time to document it with pictures.

If you have any questions regarding this please PM me would be happy to help anyone trying to replace the shifter themselves.

 

[tome]

Does anyone have instructions for opening up the center console in a 2011 Explorer (Limited) to gain access to the shifter? I want to investigate, and possibly replace, the shifter mechanism.

It is doing the "Shift To Park" thing after putting it in park. After some investigation I see that this is a common problem and Ford recommends replacing the entire shifter. There appears to be a small Omron brand reed switch that moving the lever to park engages but I suspect the problem actually likes in the mechanical plastic parts that trigger that switch rather than the switch itself (they are usually extremely robust switches). Anyway, I want to disassemble and look at the mechanism and switch but I can't seem to find good (or any really) instructions on how to do it in this vehicle.

My dealer tells me it is a $175 part and between $160-$220 in labor for them to do it so I suspect it isn't all that difficult...

Thanks,
-Tom

 

[tome]

I found this thread that discusses the issue and gives some hints about doing the repair....
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/shift-to-park.375462/page-14

Doesn't seem like anyone has actually found the root cause though...

 

[blwnsmoke]

First, welcome to the forum.. there is a ton of info here and just about every question you can think of has been answered here.

Please use the "search" feature of the forum before starting a new thread so we keep like topics in the same thread for organization.

Thanks

 

[blwnsmoke]

Does anyone have instructions for opening up the center console in a 2011 Explorer (Limited) to gain access to the shifter? I want to investigate, and possibly replace, the shifter mechanism.

It is doing the "Shift To Park" thing after putting it in park. After some investigation I see that this is a common problem and Ford recommends replacing the entire shifter. There appears to be a small Omron brand reed switch that moving the lever to park engages but I suspect the problem actually likes in the mechanical plastic parts that trigger that switch rather than the switch itself (they are usually extremely robust switches). Anyway, I want to disassemble and look at the mechanism and switch but I can't seem to find good (or any really) instructions on how to do it in this vehicle.

My dealer tells me it is a $175 part and between $160-$220 in labor for them to do it so I suspect it isn't all that difficult...

Thanks,
-Tom

I have merged your thread with the existing one that will answer all your questions.

 

[flytailheavy]

I had the same intermittent "Shift to Park" problem early this year. My warranty had expired so I figured out how to fix it. It is a pretty simple problem to fix. I noticed that if you are in Park and you look on the dash where the gear indicators are, one gear is red (the selected Park gear) and the others are grey. If you push the button on top of the gear shifter (whether you shift it or not), the red P changes to grey. When you let the button out, the P changes back to red. When the shift to park problem happened, the color stayed grey whether I pressed the button in or released it. If I released the shift button gently, I could get the P to stay grey but if I released the switch firmly, it would usually change to red like it should. That told me that there must be a switch that is failing intermittently in the system somewhere. I found the little switch in the gearshift assembly about 4 inches below the shift knob. Unfortunately, Ford does not sell that switch as an individual part; they want you to buy the whole shift knob assembly which is about $130 if I remember correctly and includes a new switch. I checked the switch closely and it had the name Omron on it but no other identifying info. It took some digging, but I was able to find the exact switch and buy one online for about $10 delivered.

Here is the switch info so you can buy one if you need it:
Omron part number: D2HW-BL201H
Mouser.com part number: 653-D2HW-BL201H
Mouser.com url: http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...DBhwQjHSWg==&gclid=CNDGpqCk-soCFQkwaQod70QATQ

Getting to that switch was not too bad, but it is a bit too much to try to explain that in this post. The service manuals explain how to get to the base of the shift assembly. It took me about an hour or two to get to the switch the first time but I was being slow and careful. I did have to solder the wires that were on the old switch to the new switch, so you will need minimal soldering skills to do this job unless you just buy the whole shift assembly from Ford. Additionally, I was careful to only allow the wires that connect to the switch to come into contact with the soldering iron or each other. I don't know what would happen if they came into contact with the grounded chassis (probably nothing), but I didn't want to find out. You have to remove the little lever from the old switch and place it on the new switch so that it works in the gear shift assembly. The lever is not glued in; I used needle-nosed pliers and it just pops off the old switch with a little tug.

After replacing the switch, the "Shift to Park" has not returned and that was over 10,000 miles ago so I know this fixed it.

I hope this explanation helps.

 

[tome]

I had the same intermittent "Shift to Park" problem early this year. My warranty had expired so I figured out how to fix it.
....stuff deleted....
I hope this explanation helps.

Thanks for the info. Someone also posted pictures from the Ford manual on how to access the shift lever so that will help as well as your info.

I would be really surprised if the Omron switched actually failed. Those switches are very reliable, we use them on machines that run continuously and they never fail. I suspect the root problem is in the mechanism on the shifter that triggers that switch (which is probably why Ford recommends replacing the whole shifter mechanism). When you moved the reed from the old switch to the new it was probably bent a tiny bit which causes the switch to fully close now. I am going to wait until mine is doing it more often, currently it's very intermittently, and will then try to determine the root cause.

 

[flytailheavy]

Hello Tome. I was surprised to see the switch fail since the switch appeared to be really good quality. It even has a little rubber (or silicone) seal around the tiny pin that gets pressed for the switch action. I am guessing that is just to keep dust and contaminants out. I also thought the shift knob mechanism looked well-designed. There was no way I could see it being the problem because it held the switch firmly and I could hear the audible "click" that the switch makes even when the system failed to turn the P to red. In other words, it looked like the switch was getting pressed properly. I wanted to be sure the switch was really the problem before replacing the switch so I disconnected it from the car and switched it by hand while it was connected to an ohmmeter. I could always hear the audible "click" sound that it makes when depressed, but sometimes (maybe one out of 20 times), the switch would make the audible click with little or no change in resistance. It didn't seem to matter how hard I pressed. I'm pretty convinced that the switch was the problem. I can't explain what caused it to fail though because that area under the shifter where the switch is located is perfectly clean so it isn't in a harsh environment. Probably just a fluke. Other than a few early sample defects (mostly software glitches), it is the only real problem my car has had, so I can't complain about spending $10.00 in repairs for 85,000 miles.

Good to know that the instructions for the shift lever are on the forum.

 

[rman66]

2014 Explorer with 27K miles, purchased 4 years ago, displays a warning often "Transmission not in park" even though it is in Park. Sometimes it goes away, other times it comes back. When the issue is there I am not able to remote start and I think the battery drains away slowly. What are my options to get it fixed? Will Ford take care of it or do I have to pay?

 

[peterk9]

2014 Explorer with 27K miles, purchased 4 years ago, displays a warning often "Transmission not in park" even though it is in Park. Sometimes it goes away, other times it comes back. When the issue is there I am not able to remote start and I think the battery drains away slowly. What are my options to get it fixed? Will Ford take care of it or do I have to pay?

Using the Forum's handy 'Search' feature (top right), which all are encouraged to do, I found this thread and merged yours with it. Lots of info here.
Remote start only works when the vehicle is in 'Park'. Since your vehicle senses it isn't in 'Park' although technically it is, it won't start. Nothing to do with the battery. Some have replaced the shifter themselves or you can have the dealer do it. If you are still under warranty it should be covered. Otherwise you pay.

Peter

 

[blwnsmoke]

The message should be "shift to park". As Peter just merged your thread, the part is a little over $100 and you can do it yourself in about an hour.

If it is 4 years old, it would not be covered under warranty as it is 3yr/36k bumper to bumper. If you have the Premium ESP, it would be covered subject to whatever deductible you chose.

 

[omar302]

Someone posted in the Edge forums an alternative solution to fix the shift to park issue without replacing the complete lever assembly.

 

[barrysvt]

I have been having the same "displays a warning often "Transmission not in park" even though it is in Park" problem. Dealer verified to resolve with new shifter replace for around 450.00.

Can the error message and chimes be simply disabled using FORScan?

 

[Daheim111]

"Trans not in park position": I thought (I had it and and we corrected it) it is a problem of the little piece that holds the cable directly on top of the AT (under the engine air filter)...it is called selector lever cable adjuster...serv. manual page 307-05B / "selector lever cable adjustment"...easy to fix !

 

[blwnsmoke]

"Trans not in park position": I thought (I had it and and we corrected it) it is a problem of the little piece that holds the cable directly on top of the AT (under the engine air filter)...it is called selector lever cable adjuster...serv. manual page 307-05B / "selector lever cable adjustment"...easy to fix !

Been said many times in here, it isn't the cable adjustment, it is the shifter itself. The shifter needs to be replaced.

 

[blwnsmoke]

I have been having the same "displays a warning often "Transmission not in park" even though it is in Park" problem. Dealer verified to resolve with new shifter replace for around 450.00.

Can the error message and chimes be simply disabled using FORScan?

The part is about $130 and you can do it yourself in under and hour. Been discussed in ygis thread on how to do it.

 

[Daheim111]

Only for "me": is the warning "Transmission not in park" (so it looks at me) the same case as "Shift to park" ???

 

[peterk9]

I have been having the same "displays a warning often "Transmission not in park" even though it is in Park" problem. Dealer verified to resolve with new shifter replace for around 450.00.

Can the error message and chimes be simply disabled using FORScan?

I don't think disabling the warning is the answer. Although the shifter may appear to be in 'Park' to you, to the vehicle's monitoring system it is not. One member attributed his constant low battery condition to this issue. I have no idea whether that is possible or not. As blwnsmoke stated, several members have done the shifter replacement themselves and that the posts are in this thread.

Peter