Gear shift will not shift the gears

Tiny
PEAZXW
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 FORD FOCUS
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 68,000 MILES
ZXW model. Car is in neutral or reverse. Can't tell at the moment. Gear shift will go from park to first gear position, but does not engage. Feels like selector cable is disengaged or broken.
Sunday, February 3rd, 2019 AT 8:53 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good morning,

Does it engage in reverse?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/automatic-transmission-problems

Does it lock back into park position?

Roy
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Monday, February 4th, 2019 AT 1:47 AM
Tiny
PEAZXW
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Hey Roy,

Does it engage in reverse?

With ignition/key turned to the first position, the reverse lights come on.
So it must be in reverse.
As in, when whatever broke it left the car in reverse. Can't shift out of reverse.
See the following answer to your question:

The shifter does lock back into the park position.
Pressing the break pedal with key in ignition and pressing in the thumb button on the shifter handle will allow you to shift from the P (park) position all the way through to 1 (first gear). You can feel the detente through all the gear shift stops but there is less resistance in the gear shift in general.

Other notes:
Car rolls freely without the parking brake engaged.
Well, it rolls backwards. I am by myself so can't push it forwards very much.
It may well roll forward.

I'm hoping it's just the cable.
Tell me what you think.
Can you include diagrams?
I know how to remove the center console.
Not sure I could do the cable path through the engine compartment.
Depends on how much I'd have to remove.

I looked under the hood and found what I believe to be
that rectangle clasp thing that I think attaches to the transmission.
It looks a bit off. Can't reach it and I have an uneven dirt driveway
so I'm not even sure I can crawl under it to see if it became detached.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks very much for your time, Roy.
Pete
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Monday, February 4th, 2019 AT 8:49 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Got it.

It does sound like the cable.

I attached pictures of the cable.

You need to open the console. The rest is done under the hood.

Roy
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Monday, February 4th, 2019 AT 9:22 AM

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