E40D Not going into PARK.

[loulong]

My transmission shift lever indicates that the unit is in PARK, but it is still in reverse and the park switch will not indicate.

Is there any adjustment on the linkage, and just where is it adjustable?

Also where is the switch to indicate the unit is in park? Is it in, or on, the transmission or in the steering column?

[subford]

I take it is an F53 but what year is it?
If you do not know the Vehicle Model Year post the VIN Position 10 number or letter.

The switch that tells the computer what gear the transmission is in is on the drivers side of the transmission.
This is the only switch in the shifting controls, but has nothing to do with what the shift lever indicates on the cluster.

Is the F53 in park and just not indicating that on the cluster?
Or will it back up when you give it throttle?

Will need the year to comment further.

[loulong]

OOOPS! Sorry....
I thought the Bounder in my avatar, and the mention of the E40D, would indicate that it was an F53 chassis. It's, more precisely, a '97 F53 chassis.

The transmission is actually in reverse when the lever says Park.

It will attempt to back up if given gas and, of course, the steering does not lock. The biggest impact is that I can't activate my levelers until the Park switch is activated.

All gears are selectable, though the indicator is so sloppy I have to guess which of two gears the transmission is actually in. This makes me think it is just an adjustment, but I'm not knowledgeable in that area.

The transmission operates and shifts fine when driving.

[subford]

The only thing I can think of that would cause all of that is a bent bracket, the one in the photo below.


The adjustment if it is not bent.

Transmission Shift Control Cable

1. From inside the vehicle, place the gearshift lever (7210) in the OVERDRIVE position (E4OD). Hang a three-pound weight on the gearshift lever.

2. Raise vehicle on a hoist and position suitable safety stands under vehicle.

3. Remove the shift cable from the transmission lever ball stud.

4. Pull down the lock tab on the shift cable body.

5. Position the gearshift lever in the OVERDRIVE position (E4OD). This is three detents from the front-most lever position with the first position counting as one.

6. Connect the cable end fitting to the transmission lever ball stud.

7. Push up on the lock tab to lock the cable in the correctly adjusted position.

8. Remove safety stands and lower vehicle from hoist. Remove the three-pound weight from the gearshift lever.

9. CAUTION: Under no circumstances should the cable be adjusted in any position other than (D) (OVERDRIVE) for the E4OD automatic transmission.

After making the adjustment, check for park engagement. Check the gearshift lever in all detent positions with the engine (6007) running to make sure of correct detent/transmission actions. Readjust if necessary.
/

[loulong]

Thanks, Bill

I found that same procedure on another forum and will give it a try. The other site also suggested that I inspect the pivots and connections to the cable inside the steering column (for looseness or binding) prior to going underneath. I'll do that now since it's raining outside.

Thanks again, lou

[INSPECTORBOB]

Look under the dash for the shift cable. There is a plastic part on the side of the cable that is supposed to slide into a mating part fastened to a steel bracket and lock the cable to the bracket. Mine came loose, and I had the same problem. Snap the plastic part back into the bracket (as I recall the bracket is adjacent to the brake pedal and use a zip tie to hold them together.

[Rick Long]

If it doesn't think the brake pedel is puched down it will NOT go into park!

[loulong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by INSPECTORBOB Look under the dash for the shift cable. There is a plastic part on the side of the cable that is supposed to slide into a mating part fastened to a steel bracket and lock the cable to the bracket. Mine came loose, and I had the same problem. Snap the plastic part back into the bracket (as I recall the bracket is adjacent to the brake pedal and use a zip tie to hold them together.

My cable comes through a hole in the bracket and seems to be securely fastened in place. I'll look more closely when I get more than just a few minutes to dig into it again.

It does seem that when shifting through first, second, drive and neutral, the detentes are crisp and the lever moves smoothly, but shifting from neutral through reverse and into park, feels spongy. There isn't a clear detente to tell which gear is selected and the lever seems to push back (as though the cable is binding or flexing) when forced all the way to the left.

I'll need to have someone observe the action at the selection lever on the tx as i shift through the gears to see if it's smooth. I'll also remove the cable from the shift arm again and see if I can feel a clear detente at each gear.

[loulong]

I made the adjustment that subford provided and it seemed to work fine while parked and just running through the gears (e.g. in and out of park), however after a hundred miles of driving, and attempting to put the unit in PARK, it reverted back to it's old tricks.

I'll go through the procedure again and make sure there is no slipping back OUT of adjustment and see how it acts next trip.

When I arrived home a week ago, I had trouble forcing it into park (so I could set the jacks down), but when I moved it to it's normal parking spot on my pad yesterday, it went in and out of park, no problem. I'm stumped unless it's heat related and something warps, expands or shrinks with heat. ??

[Mekanic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by INSPECTORBOB Look under the dash for the shift cable. There is a plastic part on the side of the cable that is supposed to slide into a mating part fastened to a steel bracket and lock the cable to the bracket. Mine came loose, and I had the same problem. Snap the plastic part back into the bracket (as I recall the bracket is adjacent to the brake pedal and use a zip tie to hold them together.

I think this is it . it sounds like a bushing is bad of loos or wrse than that it is missing letting the cale sleeve move back and forth in stead of the cable part that is supposed to.

[Midniteoyl]

Sounds like the tranny is moving. I would look at the transmission AND engine mounts.. Look for loose/missing bolts, torn rubber, bent brackets, etc...

[loulong]

Quote:

Quote: Originally Posted by INSPECTORBOB Look under the dash for the shift cable. There is a plastic part on the side of the cable that is supposed to slide into a mating part fastened to a steel bracket and lock the cable to the bracket. Mine came loose, and I had the same problem. Snap the plastic part back into the bracket (as I recall the bracket is adjacent to the brake pedal and use a zip tie to hold them together.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mekanic I think this is it . it sounds like a bushing is bad of loos or wrse than that it is missing letting the cale sleeve move back and forth in stead of the cable part that is supposed to.

Sorry Mekanic, but I've already stated that my cable is not mounted or connected like that....

It is very solidly attached near the bottom of the steering column.

[loulong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midniteoyl Sounds like the tranny is moving. I would look at the transmission AND engine mounts.. Look for loose/missing bolts, torn rubber, bent brackets, etc...

The cable stop, shift lever and adjustment bracket are all attached directly to the transmission (not the frame), so everything would have to move together. Motor and transmission mounts are fine.

[subford]

Maybe the locking tab is not holding.