won't go into gear

2000 Ford Taurus with 69,000 miles does not go into gear unless I vigorously pump the brakes?

Thanks,
Jeremy

Are you saying this is an automatic and you can not go from park to a drive gear? If this is the case, have someone check your brake lights when you press on the brake pedal. If they come on you should be able to move shift lever from park. If they do not come on you may have a flaky brake light switch or an intermittent open in the wiring on the switch. This switch is located high up on the brake pedal. Have been a number of posts on here with this problem.

It sounds like he may have had an earlier brake problem, where the pedal went near the floor and the sensor is out of adjustment.

The only problem with fixing it is that you need a double jointed neck and an elbow that bends three different ways (just teasing).

There is an adjustment plate and a catch on the back of the sensor. Set your parking brake HARD and pump the vacuum out of the brakes so that you get a full pedal. Once this is done, loosen the brake light switch, push the pin in and retract the slide. Put the sensor back into place and then press the pedal. It will reset the sensor. Release the parking brake and then start the car so that a vacuum can be established. The vehicle should then be easy to shift out of park with your foot just resting on the pedal.

Hi Paul,

I think Sahib was right on the money here. I just had the same problem with a 92 Taurus (stuck in Park, no brake lights). I went to The local parts store, got a new switch for $ 7.50, installed it and problem solved- Its shifting out of park and the brake lights are on again.

When changing, you just need to remove the safety pin (like a cotter pin) and the white washer. Then pivot the switch up and the part on the other side of the plunger shaft should come off. Then re-install the switch, the white washer, the safety pin and the wiring harness connector and you'll be all set.

Good luck