97 Town Car,Won't Shift out of Park!!!

[Jeff Rose]

I guy's. Well I know this must be my fault. We stopped today at the dealer to look at an 03 Expedition. Left the dealer, no Problem. Made a stop at the store, Came back out ,started the car, put on seat belt , pushed the break, went to shift.....the shifter won't budge. I depressed the break again a little harder, still no shift out of park.Pushed brake as far as I could.. still nothing.
Next i got out...rocked the car a bit ( maybe stuck parking pawl like my Dad's old 83) nope...still no movement.
Finally I shut the car off ,"forced" the shifter as far to the "R" as possible...started the car, and she shifted.
Drove home...the brake needed an extra hard push to disengage the Cruise Control.
Got home ...put into park ...started the car and the same thing!!!
If I remember right ...there is a switch connected to the brake peddle. Could this be the problem, and does anyone have any experience with this repair.
She is a 97 Signature with 115,00 miles. usually trouble free.
Maybe she didn't like me checking out the Expedition!!!
By the way...any advice on Expedition would also be helpfull...unfortunatly I don't think I can afford a Nav!!!
Thanks,
JR

[bubbaD4life]

i don't know what could be causing that, but i know that there is a switch($10-15) on the brake that turns on the brake lights. i have had to replace that switch on my 92, the hardest part is getting in that tight space in order to change it. i found out it quit working when i was on a road trip with no working brake lights. i had to pull the light knob in order to turn on all the lights so it looked like i was braking for the rest of the trip. i guess one thing to do in order to kind of test the switch is go outside at night and press the brake and look out the back of the car and you should only have to barely touch the brake for the lights to come on, if you have to really push them to get the brake lights on you should replace it. its an idea.

[cason1]

Yes it is the brake switch or BOO (brake on/off) switch. Mine went and caused me to have to walk 4 miles home to get on here and 4 miles back to the store to get it to go out of park. If you turn the key over not quite to run you can put it in neutral and start it and then shift into whatever gear. Just be careful because you won't have brake lights most likely.

[TownCarTechi]

Hi, I found this thread by using the search function. I have the same problem right now with my 92 Signature. Does anyone have pictures to show where exactly the brake switch is located before I start fumbling around underneath the dash?

Thanks in advance for the help.

[no0c]

Hi, I found this thread by using the search function. I have the same problem right now with my 92 Signature. Does anyone have pictures to show where exactly the brake switch is located before I start fumbling around underneath the dash?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Now if I were a betting man, I would bet it's close to the brake lever, wouldn't you? Here is the information from the FLM service manual.

Why not make your own and have nearly all the answers right in front of you.

http://www.lincolnsonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53438&highlight=usable (http://www.lincolnsonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53438&highlight=usable)

Stoplamp Switch, Mechanical

The stoplamp switch assembly is installed on the pin of the brake pedal arm, so that it straddles the master cylinder push rod. The switch assembly is a slip fit on the pedal arm pin, and the switch pressure plate mates with the flat on the master cylinder push rod. The switch assembly moves with the pedal arm whenever the brake pedal is depressed but maintains alignment with the flat on the push rod at all times.

The brake pedal arm pin and plastic bushing has a designed-in clearance with the eye of the master cylinder push rod. Because of this clearance, whenever the brake pedal is pushed forward, the stoplamp switch frame moves forward, pulling the whole assembly forward. During that movement, the push rod flat pushes the switch pressure plate and actuating pin rearward, closing the switch contacts. This completes the circuit to the stoplamps.

When the brake pedal is released, the spring in the stoplamp switch returns the actuating pin to its normal position and the circuit to the stoplamp opens.

Removal

1. Disconnect the wire harness at the connector from the switch.
NOTE:
Locking tab on connector must be lifted before connector can be removed.

2. Remove the hairpin retainer, slide the stoplamp switch, the push rod and the nylon washers and bushing away from the pedal, and remove the switch by sliding the switch up and down.
NOTE:
Since the switch side plate nearest the brake pedal is slotted it is not necessary to remove the brake master cylinder push rod and one spacer washer from the brake pedal pin.

Installation
1. Position switch so that the U-shaped side is nearest the pedal and directly over and under the pin. Then slide switch down and up trapping the master cylinder push rod and black bushing between the switch side plates. Push switch and push rod assembly firmly toward brake pedal arm. Assemble outside white plastic washer to pin and install hairpin retainer to trap whole assembly.
CAUTION:
Do not substitute other types of pin retainer, replace only with production hairpin retainer.

2. Assemble the wire harness connector to the switch.

3. Check stoplamp switch for proper operation.
NOTE:
Stoplamp switch wire harness must have sufficient length to travel with switch during full stroke of pedal. If wire length is insufficient, reroute harness or service as required.

[Dereck]

Hi

http://www.superstitiongold.com/lincoln/pictures5/Stoplight.jpg

Regards

Dereck

[CartierBear]

this needs to go to the Tech section cause i don't wanna lose it :) is this something you might want to replace as preventative ?

[Newave Dave]

You will never "lose" it. just do a search for your own posts and you will "find" it again. or search "shift", or "switch", or whatever else you like. I have a Ford service manual book which allows me to peruse the intricate workings of my Town Car at my leisure. You can get one at Steves site, for free and buy a set here http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996-Crown-Victoria-Grand-Marquis-Town-Car-Manual-Set_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2em20Q2el1116Q QitemZ270332530053QQptZMotorsQ5fManualsQ5fLiteratu re for $35. You can't even talk to the dealership tech for $35. So in my mind BUYING A MANUAL IS WORTH IT!

[Matthew]

I have lost a lot of my posts around here. It seems like they disappear after a year or two. Some are archived, some are deleted, I think that's what Dereck told me.

[Chevyguy]

Those CD's are full of Awesome. Only problem is some procedures lead you to a $5000 dealership tool.

[no0c]

this needs to go to the Tech section cause i don't wanna lose it :) is this something you might want to replace as preventative ?

Bookmark it / add it to your favorites.

The best thing you can do to keep from replacing BOO switches that carry a lot of current as wired from the factory is to wire in a relay.

Dereck has a tech article.

http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00114.html

It's quite simple to do and sends the high current through the relay instead of through the BOO switch. Here's my version of the addition of the relay which I did not too long ago.

[2vmodular]

here's a picture of the a couple crown vic pedal boxes. the boo switch is the one with the two green wires connected to it.

http://www.p71interceptor.com/powerpedals

http://www.p71interceptor.com/powerpedals/pedalsfront.jpg

[TownCarTechi]

Thanks to everyone who responded. The pictures, diagrams and notes are just what I needed. I'll tackle this job over the weekend. Fortunately, I have other vehicles I can drive until then.

[TownCarTechi]

Switch replaced and problem fixed. The hardest part was negotiating with the plastic poppers, but I just decided to sacrifice them and replace. They are so cheap at the local parts store. Thanks again for the diagram, Dereck. It's nice to know what to expect before you tackle the repair.

[Fordiesel69]

BTW, this is the shear reason I got my 99' Signature so cheap. It was not able to make it thru the auction line because they were not able to get it out of park. They announced this and I said, "that's the car for me." Twisted the wires together and away I went. Ford has this problem on alot of their vehicles, very easy to fix as long as the wires are not melted like mine. I did a quick fix for the winter but will be getting a pigtail from a junkyard to make it perfect.

[TownCarTechi]

Hi Fordiesel,

That's one lucky buy. It just shows how the knowledge we all gain from this site helps in so many ways.

Regards, TownCarTechi

[Newave Dave]

Hi Fordiesel,

That's one lucky buy. It just shows how the knowledge we all gain from this site helps in so many ways.

Regards, TownCarTechi
So let's all write Kat a nice check (or PayPal). :)