Sloppy shifter.

[DoOver]

Hello. My shift handle has been "sloppy" for a while. Well the other night, it got worst. I went to shift into park after driving home and it wouldn't get past reverse. The next morning I noticed a gold colored pan cake head type machine screw on my floor mat. It turns out this is one of two bolts up under the dash that holds the shifter works together. It takes a #30 torq socket and about 5 minutes to replace the one bolt and tighten the other.
Brian

 

[BrooklynBay]

Somebody else posted a similar issue with his Explorer earlier tonight. Did you take any pictures?

 

[DoOver]

No Brooklyn. I don't own an electronic camera or a cell phone for that matter. It's not hard to find, just hard to get at.
Brian

 

[tagnamee]

I have a similar issue with my 97. How do you access the screws to tighten them down?

Bob G

 

[BrooklynBay]

Take a look under the steering column.

 

[uncurb]

Hello. My shift handle has been "sloppy" for a while. Well the other night, it got worst. I went to shift into park after driving home and it wouldn't get past reverse. The next morning I noticed a gold colored pan cake head type machine screw on my floor mat. It turns out this is one of two bolts up under the dash that holds the shifter works together. It takes a #30 torq socket and about 5 minutes to replace the one bolt and tighten the other.
Brian

Question? How were you able to access this bolt? I'm going nuts with my head on the brake pedal, trying to tighten it!

 

[Notta]

I have a similar issue with my 97. How do you access the screws to tighten them down?

Bob G

After my' 95 3.0 Aerostar sat for quite a while, I removed the driver's seat so I could rest my head on the brake pedal, & per Brooklyn Bay's advice, got up in there with a 1/4" drive flex extension w/the bolt crazy glued to the driver & managed to get bolt started & tightened! was not a lot of fun, crazy glue let go just fine when required. up to the point of using the glue, the bolt would drop off before I could get it started!
*thanks, B.B.for the tip & inspiration to do it! BG, (notta)