Can't shift out of park

[Usefulidiot127]

Well I bought the car with 25k miles on it and now its a 30k so me, beign on top of things, thought I would take it in to my mechanic to get the 30k service done on it. (transmission flush, coolant flush, etc) I know a lot of you will probably yell at me for paying for that but I dont know enough yet to do that, although I am trying to learn. Anyways all seemed good and I started up the car and drove off the lot and went to the gas station. I fill it up with regular unleaded gas, get back in the car, it starts fine, but I cannot shif it out of park. The button on the shifter does not allow being pressed, and I cant move it at all. I try pressing on the brake at all differnet kind of degrees it just won't shift.

So I call the mechanic from the gas station and ask him whats up why can't i shift out of park. He tells me to turn it off, turn the key to the on position, shift into neutral, then shift into drive. That works fine, but If I ever shif tinto park then I'm stuck in park, button becomse stuck again and I can't shift out of park. So I have to start the car like this every time now. He was leaving for the day so he said bring it in tommorow morning. He mentioned something about a cellunoid block or something I didnt hear him he was mumlbing. Anyways what do you think the problem is, and why would it all of a sudden happen after the service? I better not have to pay for this to be fixed now..

Any input IS MUCH appreciated so I know what the hell to say to them tommorow morning. Thanks!

2002 3.8

 

[Lay It]

Sounds to me like you have a problem with the actual shift knob. In the mustangs if the shift knob isn't on right, it won't let you push the button down enough to get it out of park. you need i believe a 3 mm allen key to loosen the set secrew in the front and then you can manuver it to get it to work. usually when this happens the shift knob has lifted up slightly. They are bastards to push down because of fords design, and be carefull not to damage the o/d wires that run up there. When i had this problem with a customers car it takes quite a bit of force to get that knob all the way down, sometimes a rubber mallet will help. but the way you descibed the button not wanting to be pushed in souns like the knob needs to be pushed down. hope this helps

 

[Usefulidiot127]

Yea I dont think that makes sense though because if I am shfting from neutral to drive, or any gear for that matter the button works fine. Its just locking me from going from park to any other gear.

 

[Thordic]

I was gonna say I had a similar problem where it was stuck in park that was due to dying wiring on the brake sensor but I could still push the button, it just didn't do anything.

 

[77sleeper]

turn on the ignition, turn off the radio and A/C step on the brake and listen for a click on the shifter, if you do not hear it then there are directions in the owners manual about overiding it