Column Shifter Won't Move
 

97 F-150 V-8 w/auto trans & o/d. Quick question for the forum. Twice in as many days I couldn't get the column shifter to move until I turned the key off and restarted the engine. Then it moved smooth as silk. Is there some kind of ignition interlock on the column shifter that could be worn out? Should I try a locksmith first, or take it to a transmission shop?

Could be electrical.
It won't come out of Park unless your foot is on the brake.
There are electrical components that determine whether your foot is on the brake.
They could say you don't, when in fact you do.

Don't force it like I did. I snapped one off at the steering column like a turkey wishbone. That will give you a whole new set of problems. :)

Next time it happens, instead of shutting down, try taking your foot off the brake for a moment then re-apply and try to shift.
That may isolate the problem as electrical or eliminate it as a possibility.

With the long weekend coming up and not wanting to be stranded, I ran it by the Ford dealership. They agreed it sounded like a bad brake sensor. They'll check it out on Tuesday and they showed me how to "trick" the sensor and put it in gear.

I drove mid 90's Fords at work (both trucks and cars) that when the fuse for the hazard flashers would blow, you couldn't shift out of park without replacing the fuse. You might check that.

Do the break lights work?

I assume they told ya about turnin the key a certain way, then shifting to neutral, then starting. That right? I've never had to do it...

Adrianspeeder

Yeah you turn it to the key on engine off position, shift it into neutral, then start it. Already tried it and it works. I'm pretty sure the brake lites are working, but Ford says there's some kinda sensor circuit associated with the brake pedal. I'm gonna let them look at it after Xmas anyway, because my parking brake lite comes on when it gets cold outside or if you slam on the brake real hard. Then you have to mash the parking brake down and release it to make it go off. A brake shop looked at it and told me the dealer would have to fix the problem, because it wasn't a mechanical problems.

isnt it called a brake shift interlock senser??

It's called a 'Raoul is an idiot' sensor.
Brute force isn't always the best answer. :lol: