auto tranny

My stepdaughter has a 94 escort LX with a 1.9l. When put in rev acts like it's in neut,won't move. When put in neut will move forward. All other gears seem to be working. Just replaced fluid and filter,everything looks good there. Would like some suggestions before take to tranny shop.
thank you. Old fluid was very dark and smelled burnt.

You probably don't need to go to trany shop as it sounds like the shifter cable has shifted. Hopefully it is nothing more than the hold down for the cable sheath has loosened at the shift handle and just needs to be adjusted and tightened back up. Basically you remove all the plastic around the shift handle until you can see the cable and the two bolt clamp in front of the lever. If not loose, loosen the two bolts and then put the shifter into park position as far as it will go snugging the cable sheath as far as it can go towards the lever. Tighten bolts, then test for proper operation and adjust accordingly. Autozone.com may have this procedure, with pix.

As per Ford SM (sorry I'm not able to provide pix):

Transmission Shift Cable and Bracket
1. Shift the shift control selector lever to the PARK position.

2. Disconnect the battery ground cable (14301) to deactivate the shift interlock system.

3. Remove the screw securing the shift control selector lever knob (7213) to the gear selector lever. Remove the shift control selector lever knob.


4. Remove the shift console. Refer to «Section 01-12».

5. Remove the transmission control selector dial bezel screws.

6. Disconnect the miniature bulb (13466) from the transmission control selector dial bezel (7D443).

7. Disconnect the shift lock actuator electrical connector.

8. Disconnect the park range switch electrical connector.

9. Remove the transmission control selector dial bezel.
NOTE:
Be certain that the detent spring roller is in the Park detent.

10. Loosen the two transmission shift cable and bracket bolts.


11. Push the shift control selector lever against the PARK range and hold it.

12. Tighten the two transmission shift cable and bracket bolts to 8-11 N-m (69-95 lb-in).

13. Lightly press the shift control selector push rod and make sure that the guide plate and guide pin clearances are within specifications.

A pix here would be great. Basically, there is a pair of pins that I believe stick thru the toothed plate and they need to be centered in the open space. Precisely, there is to be a 0.024 inch(0.6mm) space between each pin and the plate opening, viewed from the side would be the space between pin and plate left to right. I believe there is a third pin that is even with the shift lever. It should be off center towards the teeth with a 0.020 inch gap on that side, and the other side with a 0.39 inch gap (0.5mm and 1.0 mm)

14. Check that the guide plate and guide pin clearances are within the appropriate specifications when the shift control selector lever is shifted to NEUTRAL and OVERDRIVE ((D)). If the clearances are not as specified in the following illustration, readjust the transmission shift cable and bracket (7E395).
15. Verify that the gear selector lever operates as explained in this section.

16. Connect the miniature bulb to the transmission control selector dial bezel.

17. Connect the shift lock actuator electrical connector.

18. Connect the park range switch electrical connector.

19. Install the transmission control selector dial bezel and secure it with the screws.

20. Install the shift console. Refer to «Section 01-12».

21. Position the shift control selector lever knob onto the gear selector lever and secure the shift control selector lever knob with the gear shift knob attaching screw (7B409).

22. Connect the battery ground cable.

23. Verify operation of the shift interlock system as explained in this section.