2002 Ford Excort ZX2 stuck in park

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Jeff,

The linkage looks good, connected at the trnas, the shifter feels locked at
the console. I will look at the brake pedal switch next. Is the solenoid
located in the console?

Thanx for your advice.

Frank

Check the fuse for the brake lights. Have had to help several people
with this problem, especially at boat ramps where the water shorted the
brake circuit and they couldn't shift into drive to pull the trailer out.

I have a 2003 ford escort zx2, my key was stuck in the accessory position, i could turn the key to start the car but i could not remove the key, it would not turn to the lock position. Removed center console, and found that the shifter was jamming and not going into park. I used a flat screwdriver to lift the silver metal bracket that pivots upward to push against the shifter lock cable ( smaller cable on right looking at it from the top in drivers seat ) this released the the lock on column and i could remove the key !!! however the problem is that the shifter detent rod ( 1 inch long steel bar 1/8" thick protruding from the bottom of shifter ) is not going into the veritcal slot when put into park. It is jamming against a small metal tab that has a metal rod attached to it that is connected to the solonoid by a plastic bracket. The j shaped rod that has a square plastic bracket on top of it is hitting the bolt head that holds down the shifter plate on right side. So this is why it is not pushing against the column lock cable to allow the key to be turned to the lock position and be removed. Somehow i will have to find a way to stop the j shaped metal rod from jamming, this will allow the shifter detent rod to sit in it's vertical slot and make contact with the cable to actuate the release on the cloumn. Pictures are worth a thousand words but i have no pics yet. DON"T CALL A LOCKSMITH FOR THIS OR MECHANIC. You can easily do this repair in an hour or less and save yourself a ton of grief and money.Buy a haynes manual if you don't know how to remove the center console. The plastic push pins that hold the center console are easily removed by using to screwdriver, press the center of the plastic button and pry out. DO NOT JUST PRY ON IT WITH A SCREWDRIVER it will break the outer edge of the plastic button, it will still work when you put it back in but it will look awful.
Hope this helps.

easy fix .
its called a brake light switch there about 10 bucks at auto zone.
its located on the brake pedal

Besides the linkage and the brake pedal switch, there is a selenoid that
releases the transmissions shifter. That could be bad too. And don't
forget the wiring.

Jeff

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The brake lights are functioning, we overrode the lock-out via the procedure
in the owner's manual. When the weather brakes around here, I am going to
troubleshoot the switch and solenoid.

Thanx for all the advice .

circuit and they couldn't shift into drive to pull the trailer out.

Since the brake lights are working, suspect the solenoiud on the
shifter. One thing I used to see a lot is a sticky solenoid or linkage
sue to soda/coffee spills into the shifter. The sugary liquid makes a
sticky coating on the mechanism. Solvents won't touch it, soap and hot
water will clean it right off..

The solenoid on our Mystique was intermittent - went open when
extremely cold.. I dissabled it and will not be repairing it.

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