# 04' Explorer Won't Go Into Park



## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

MIL's 2004 Ford Explorer AWD, won't go into park. It will move up and out of reverse, but will still roll and of course, no steering lock and key removal.

She stated a few years ago, that it once, _would not_ come out of park. It had to be towed to the dealer, where they replace a "very expensive" fuse, inside the steering column.

That's all she knew about it.

Anybody seen this before?


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

I have never worked on an Explorer but I have worked on Ford trucks. This is a long shot but is simple to check. On Ford trucks there is a reoccurring problem with the transmission shift lever linkage. When sitting in the drivers seat, directly above your right foot and located on the top side of the steering column is a portion of the shift linkage. One section of the linkage is fastened to another section with 2 torx bolts (T30) These fasteners work loose over time. These fasteners are very hard to see. Just use your hand to see if you can move the linkage....the linkage should not be loose. Possibly you can have someone to "shake" the gear shift while you are working under the dash. Tightening these fasteners on a truck corrects the problem. PS...first symptom of this problem is having to start the engine in neutral and no park lock to prevent rolling.


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

It was the BSI (brake shift interlock). switch. Otherwise known as a "brake light switch"

$67 for something should should cost $8, but it got the job done. 2nd time the switch has been replaced, in 120k miles.

Fords are just as annoying as the rest of them. I wanted to scream at the idiot engineer, that place the fuse block, pointing _straight down_, with unreadable index numbers. Guess that why shops gets $80/hr

Anyway, all is good.

thanks for the input.


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