Gear Shifter / Electrical Issue

LMDOTSON

MEMBER
FORD CONTOUR

1996 Ford Contour, 126,500 miles, Automatic transmission, Floor Gear shifter - One day I was in a drive-thru and I put my car in park while still running. Once I tried to take the car out of park it would not move out of Park. Therefore I had to forcefully pull it out of Park. Once that happened immediately the temperature control & gas gauge stopped working, I could also go into R-N-D without any problem but once I put it back into park it does not move. Like two days later the whole car just stopped working, my battery was being drained instantly. The car could be on and drving but it will go out like I'm loosing power. The battery is brand new. Now it doens't turn on at all. The power works some but at a minimum. Do you know where I should start? Some say it's an electrical issue and some say I may need a new alternator, but would that cause the gear shifter to not work?

Thanks
Lucy

1 Reply

LMDOTSON

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Lucy:
My break lights are working and after checking fuse 30 the gauges, air conditioner, and gear shifter started working. To the subject about the battery being drained after the alternator was looked at, it was completely burnt out, and the wires that connected from the alternator to the battery and other parts of the car were burnt as well and needed to be replaced. Like two days later fuse 30 was blown out again, it was exchanged out with a 30 amp fuse. The guy said that if the problem persist he would have to track down the wiring that is connected to the fuse. Hopefully I will have another car by then. Thank you so much :D.

As a side joke. FORD = :twisted: