2005 Explorer shifter loose

[Brian Rota]

Hello
I have a 2005 Explorer. It seems like the shifter seems very loose like nothing on the other end. My indicator is all over the place and sometimes it will not start when it is in park. I have to try and find neutral and it will start. Nothing seems broken at the top of the column. Sometimes I can get it in full park and will start others it seems to be in reverse when it is in park. I have adjusted the needle but it seems to fall out of place again. I am thinking it could be a cable.
I see other people posting of loose bolts but I do not see those on the 2005.
If anyone has any tips I am looking to for ideas.

Thank you!
Brian

 

[sparky8131]

You might check the bushing on the end of the shifter cable. Mine was worn out on my 05 explorer. You can get just the bushing if that's it. Dorman part number 14908, easy to replace if that's it.

 

[Brian Rota]

You might check the bushing on the end of the shifter cable. Mine was worn out on my 05 explorer. You can get just the bushing if that's it. Dorman part number 14908, easy to replace if that's it.

Thank you which end?

 

[sparky8131]

Where it's attached to the transmission.

 

[Brian Rota]

Thank you, it was the clip that holds the cable casing to the transmission it slipped out. put it back in with some tierod supports and back in business. It looked like it already had the new clip on the shift linkage.

 

[sparky8131]

U still might want to change it. That's what mine did, didn't want to take a chance & just replaced it.

 

[Everett Bartz]

Hello
I have a 2005 Explorer. It seems like the shifter seems very loose like nothing on the other end. My indicator is all over the place and sometimes it will not start when it is in park. I have to try and find neutral and it will start. Nothing seems broken at the top of the column. Sometimes I can get it in full park and will start others it seems to be in reverse when it is in park. I have adjusted the needle but it seems to fall out of place again. I am thinking it could be a cable.
I see other people posting of loose bolts but I do not see those on the 2005.
If anyone has any tips I am looking to for ideas.

Thank you!
Brian

Good morning Brian, I too have a Gen 3 Explorer and my shifter set up in the steering column is like that in this photo I copied from other sources. The looseness I feel in my shifter comes at the location where the part on the left fits into the steering column. There are no shift tubes or loose bolts at the end of the shift tube like others say as there is none.

Just those three parts seen in the photo.

So I think that to fix correctly, one has to buy (~$2K) the steering assembly. Still available from Ford.

Column Assy - Steering

EL2Z-3C529-ARM
Column Assy - Steering
Remanufactured

• Base Number:
  3C529
• Callout Name:
  3C529

MSRP: $2705.37
$1969.51


So I am searching for bushings that fit into the steering column and tighten up that joint into which the part on the left fits.