Problems Shifting in and out of Park

[shaynaj1980]

My hubby and I just bought a '96 XLT, and there's a problem shifting in and out of park. We knew about the problem beforehand (yes, we got the SUV anyway), but I'd like to find out why it's doing this. The guy we bought it from was very open and honest about it from the beginning, and he'd said that it has been like this ever since he had it. He took it to a mechanic, who told him that it was a problem common to the Explorers of '96. We have to press the brake very hard, and then pull the lever extremely hard to get it out of park. Does anyone know why, and what needs to be done to fix it? Once it is out of park, the other gears shift smoothly. I must admit, though, I love driving this thing. It's a nice, comfy drive that's for sure.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Put the vehicle up on ramps, and apply the parking brake. With the engine off, and one person inside with their foot on the brake, shift into reverse, and watch the cable mechanism move on the transmission. If it appears to struggle, it might be bent, or need some sort of lubrication. Now, disconnect the linkage from the transmission, and shift out of park. Does it still bind? The next step is to move the lever on the transmission directly without the cable. Does it still feel stiff? In this case, you would have to lower the pan, and check the internal linkage.