Car stuck in Park, shifter won't move. (Home video included for illustration)

Car stuck in Park, shifter won't move. (Home video included for illustration)
Model: 1997 Ford Taurus GL
Video I took with the camera that shows the exact problem (quicktime format) can be found here. (6.9 Mb.) (http://jonk.teamlimit.net/100_0632.MOV)

Hello, I'm new to these forums. My name is Jon and i'm from Fort Worth, TX.

I've got this Taurus and it has this really bad problem. Let me spill the whole story. A while back a problem surfaced where after I released the emergency brake, the car wouldn't shift from park to any other gear. It's like the shifter was stuck, and wouldn't budge. I worked on it with so much force that I actually broke the plastic colomn for the shifter. I called a towtruck, and he managed to get the car in neutral to take to pepboys to repair. They repaired the column and shift cable.

Now, once later the problem resurfaced. I came home from 7-11, and then shortly after (30 seconds) got back in the car to go somewhere else. The problem resurfaced. I called my dad to come out and try it, and it worked fine when he tried it (about 5 mins before he got there)

Now, the problem has surfaced a third time, and I can't get it to shift. I released the emergency brake and the column is stuck in Park. The damn thing will NOT shift! I even took a rock and pushed the car up a bit and put it behind the tire then tried shifting, but without stress on the parking break I still can't get it to shift.

This is a real problem because it has front wheel drive, and the only way to access the car in the driveway is from the back, meaning we'd have to tear ruin something to tow it away.

If anyone has the vaguest idea (even if you don't think your qualified to respond) then I would be greatly appriciative.

Video I took with the camera that shows the exact problem (quicktime format) can be found here. (6.9 Mb.) (http://jonk.teamlimit.net/100_0632.MOV)

  Jon_K

do your brake lights work nice and bright not dim like a short
if they dont work test the brake light switch at the pedal also this is a signal to the interlock shifter system that the brake is applied and allows you to shift

  osborste

Yeah, it was the interlock system. The wiring that engages the interlock is ****ed up. They're going to change it for 120 bucks. Seems a bit pricey for a small stretch of small AWG wiring. It's my dads car though, so he can pay for the bill.

  Jon_K