99 ford escort column safety switch
isie
06-26-2007, 10:40 AM
A friend of mine is looking at a 99 ford escort with 66,000 miles, the car is in good shape except on the steering column there is some sort of park safety switch? I have not seen it but i guess the switch is missing and they use a screwdriver to push it down you only need it to get out of park i guess. any ideas of what this part is actually called and is it hard to change. I also have the vin # if anybody has carfax and could run it for me it would be appreciated, vin# 3fakp1133xr209915.
thanks for any info anybody can give me.
thanks for any info anybody can give me.
denisond3
06-28-2007, 07:26 AM
Until someone with a newer Escort answers, we have a 92. There is an interlock cable between the brake pedal and the shifter. It prevents you from taking the car out of Park unless your foot is on the brake.
There is also a mechanical interlock cable between the ignition switch and the shifter. It prevents you from taking the key out unless the shift lever is in Park. The big reason for not letting you take the key out unless the vehicle is in Park (really stopped) is that the steering wheel wont turn with the key out. Thats for theft prevention. On my 92 this is two cables, but on other cars it may be done with a single cable.
These things seem pretty reliable, but anything mechanical can fail, especially if someone tried to disconnect it and messed up the job. Fixing it probably involves taking the covers off the steering column, and possibly off of the console if you have to replace a cable.
There is also a mechanical interlock cable between the ignition switch and the shifter. It prevents you from taking the key out unless the shift lever is in Park. The big reason for not letting you take the key out unless the vehicle is in Park (really stopped) is that the steering wheel wont turn with the key out. Thats for theft prevention. On my 92 this is two cables, but on other cars it may be done with a single cable.
These things seem pretty reliable, but anything mechanical can fail, especially if someone tried to disconnect it and messed up the job. Fixing it probably involves taking the covers off the steering column, and possibly off of the console if you have to replace a cable.
isie
06-28-2007, 11:52 PM
He brought the car over today. the part that is missing is by the shift lever on the floor. I took it apart and found that the solinoid(sp) was bad, The plunger on the brake pedal is good as i Have brake lights and put a meter on the wiring harness at the solinoid. looks to me like they knew it was bad and took the button out and stuck a screwdriver in so they wouldnt have to push the button to get it out of par, they just bypassed the whole safety system. I had some solinoids an one was a push and put it in and it works fine no. They just have to get a button to replace the missing one.
thanks.
thanks.
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