Gear shift is stuck?

That happened all the time to my mom. Did u put ur foot on the brake 1st. There is a locking system on it. U tried and it didn't work? Let me know. There's one other thing that could be wrong but highly unlikely if the car starts and u can't put it in gear.

The car will crank, but when push in the brake to put in gear, will not go, gear shift want move at all. Not sure if Im even getting the side button to go in all the way, What could be causing these problems.

Thanks

I had the exact same problem just a few months ago, I ended up stuck at the local wal-mart for sometime. I could be wrong here but my problem turned out to be a bad brake switch.

As the other poster said check your brake lights if they don't light it's possible is your brake switch? If they do light it could always be the solenoid that controls the stick release? You could always (if you haven't already) look at your stick console (see attached image), to the top right there should be a small square section that can be popped off. Take it off with a small screwdriver or knife then use a thin screwdriver or anything thin enough and long enough to fit (thinner than a pencil) poke it through the hole and press down until you hear it release then try to release the stick out of park and into Neutral. The sound of the release should be the same click sound you hear when you put your foot on the break that should now be missing. If this works drive it to the local shop and have em check it out for you.

Like I said I could be wrong here but just in case I'm posting! In my case I paid $30 for a new switch and to have it installed properly.

Good Luck!!

The car has sat waiting for repair for a year. Now the shifter will not leave park. How do we get it to move or unlock?

Is the battery dead?.. The same thing happened to me and in my case I did the following:

Look at the shifter panel (see the attached image!), to the top right should be a small cut out, remove it with a knife or screwdriver. Insert a long thin screwdriver into the hole and press down until you hear/feel the motor move down, you'll hear the click just like you put your foot on the brake to release the shifter. You should now be able to take it out of park and into D or N or what ever you need!

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I forgot to add. Before you do that don't forget to pull the handbrake/emergency brake!

Shifter stucked in park on mercury tracer 1996

Check for blown fuse, under the dash or in the fuse box under the hood. I forget which fuse it is, controls other functions also. Fire up the car, take your test light and check both sides of all fuses. This is the EASIEST WAY to check fuses. Don't pull them needlessly, etc. Everyone that uses this method owes me a dollar.

Stuck in park because the lockout mechanism at the shifter is not moving. Console off, etc. To get to it. You can bypass it by prying open the little round access hole at upper RH side of console and sticking the end of you key in there. Moves the lockout out of the way.

Could also be a broken tab at the ignition switch (a cable connects from the ignition switch to the lockout). Butt pain, bigtime. I disconnected the lockout at the console totally (separated the clips). I hate cars that try to outthink you. Also clipped the key sensor wire at the ignition switch. Now the only time the buzzer annoys me is when I leave the headlights on. Wired the power windows hot at all times (I have no kids etc.) Great car. You have low mileage, seen these cars with 350K plus still purring.