Bypassing the Park Interlock? Vehicle Won't Reliably Start

[mweiss]

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.

 

[donalds]

I don't think anyone here will help you bypass your neutral safety switch it's dangerous

 

[mweiss]

Unfortunately, due to a severe back injury which turned into degenerative spinal disease over the past 13 years, I can't bend or twist, so that prevents me from getting into a position to crawl under the dash. The shops want to charge more than the book value of the vehicle to do this repair, so that's out. The second video is the one I looked at last year and realized it was too risky to try. Don't want that air bag exploding in my face, or to find out I can't get it put back together properly.
I was told the cable that drives the shifter has stretched and needs replacing.

BTW, the shifter is not loose. It's just out of range.

 

[J_C]

The only guess I have is try shorting the PCM #91 Gray/Red wire, to the PCM #64, light blue/yellow wire, only while trying to start the vehicle (so a pushbutton switch would be ideal). It may not work. Next thing I'd try is shorting together all the wires at the PCM that go to the Digital Transmission Range sensor as shown on diagram "transmissions-a-t-circuit-5r55e-1-of-1.PDF" which you can find linked in my sig, in a zip file among other related diagrams that may or may not help.

Shorting them all together is the theory but I would be hesitant to molest that many wires. It still may not work, I'd sooner look at the cable tension if you think it's stretched.

 

[mic98xlt]

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.

Not to be an "Ass", but I believe Donalds advice is more than likely something to not be blown off. Based just on the above line, I would pay a kid or a family member to be sure those screws are not loose. Good luck.

 

[410Fortune]

These guys are right

Your cable has not stretched.
Your column shifter bushings are either shot and need to be replaced
OR
The cable adjustment at the transmission needs to be adjusted, there is a big plastic deal on the side of the auto transmission that locks the cable in place.
Basically you loosen the lock, put the trucks column shifter in N and manually shift the transmission in to N then lock the cable back down
Now you adjust the little orange needle to point directly in the center of the "N"
DONE

This is a very simple setup
You need a better shop
I would charge you like $40 to fix this IF that much

I have been working on 95-01 Explorers for many many years, this happens ALL THE TIME
Never had a bad or stretched cable, it is most likely bad bushings in the column shifter, or loose bolts in the back of the column shifter, or your trans cable needs adjustment.

 

[C420sailor]

^^^Truth. The actual shift cable is rugged as hell. There's a super tiny one that drives the indicator. That one stretches and goes out of adjustment all the time, but that only affects the indicator.

My problem is always that the torx bolts holding the shifter in place under the dash start backing out, then I have problems getting into park. It happens very slowly. So slowly you don't notice that your column is loose. After you tighten it up, you'll go 'ohhhh so THIS is how it's supposed to feel!' Some loctite and a torx bit on an extension and it's good again for a while. My mom's Expedition has the same problem. 5 minutes under the dash with a flashlight and ratchet and you're good to go---I'm sure you can find a friend to get under there for the steep cost of a beer

Why not just start it in neutral until you get it fixed?