1995 Ford Escort won't come out of park

Tiny
MIKE BICE
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 FORD ESCORT
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 139,000 MILES
After starting the car and letting it run it was shut back off and sat for a month. When I tried to start the car 30 days later it will not turn over. Also it will not come out of park so I could try it in neutral.I was told their could be an electrical box? Preventing this
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 AT 12:17 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
That would be called the shift interlock feature. It operates on the same circuit as the brake lights so the first thing you want to do is to make sure the brake lights are working when this problem is present. Before anything is checked, make sure you have a fully charge battery. If the brake lights are working, that proves the circuit is good up to that point, then you'll have to get to the solenoid in the console. Disassemble as much as you have to to access the solenoid near the shifting mechanism. Us a 12v test light to test for power coming and going at the solenoid when the brake is applied. If power is arriving and switching and the solenoid is not triggering, the solenoid is bad and will have to be replaced.
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Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 AT 12:30 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Does the battery have a full charge? All connections going to and from the battery are clean and tight? When the sits for a while, the gremlins may get in there and start chewing on wires? I can give you wiring diagrams for the starter and shift interloack, but, if the battery doesn't have a full charge, it won't do any good.
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Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 AT 12:30 PM

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