Shift lever not going all the way back(?), key get stuck

[carlos.vmc]

Hello everyone,

this is my first thread here and I hope I don't get too confusing with it.

I've a 03 Ford Explorer XLT V8 with 135K and I bought it last January, have not even a single idea of how it was driven before me nor what was or wasn't made on maintenance side.

Now my current major issue: When I park the car and move the lever to park, it seems to go fairly normal, but for some reason it does not let me take my key off, I have to turn the key back to on (do not start the car) shift it a bit into other gears return really slowly to park and it releases the key, sometimes I've to repeat the steps a couple times, but it's getting on my nerves already since I've seen a lot of different ideas of what to do.

So, a bit of what I've already done, I changed yesterday my brake light switch (thanks to another post I saw that it was the same from the Windstar 02) and my brake lights, cruise control override and gear shifting are normal, but this morning the key did it again (yesterday 3 times it came off easily).

So other options that I still have, in my mind:

1. check for the fuses F23 & F26

2. check for loose nuts and bolts in the trans cable

3. something with the shift lever pin and buy one of these Dorman's Auto Trans Shifter Repair Kit : http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=2425878&cc=1414516&jsn=866

Please, if you have any other idea let me know or even if any of the ones that I've now are not compatible with my issue.

Thanks in advance for everyone that takes a minute to review this.

 

[carlos.vmc]

Hey guys, after a lot of investigation around the Dash I found out something, this little blue piece on the picture is broken and loose, if I tag and shake it the key gets free, it takes me a little bit to find the right position for it, it is kind a switch on one side and touches a metal piece on the bottom, I'll try a better picture at home to with the right amount of light.

Please, I need some help here to solve this once for all.

 

[carlos.vmc]

Well, just as an update to someone that may come with the same issue in the future, in this case the problem was really the small blue switch that was broken.

I glued it back in place and now it is working fine, not event a single problem since was put back in place.