'97 Marquis with shift lever not lining up with the PRNDL

[bobss396]

I have a problem with my shift lever not lining up with the letters on the column. Finding reverse is especially tough, is there an adjustment or a replaceable part to fix this?

Thanks, Bob

[jimmytroanoke]

There is a short cable between the shift lever and the display in the cluster. you have to pull the cluster to access it. It may be adjustable but I think more commonly the plastic bracket at the cluster end of the cable breaks/cracks and causes the erratic operation of the display. I think you have to buy the cable assy to get this and I think most people take the plastic off the new cable and transfer it to their old one as the other end of the cable is a bitch to get to.
You may also have a lot of wear in your shifter if it is that tough to find reverse or you may need some adjustment on your shift cable. I never look at the display on my car even though it works fine. I shift by feel and reverse is very easy to find. Down one click and back out of the driveway, 2 notches more and take off!

[bobss396]

Thanks for the reply, how hard is it to get the instrument cluster out? I'll take a look at it later and hopefully might find some reference material at my library.

This is my wife's car otherwise I'd just live with it.

Bob

[jimmytroanoke]

Remove and Install

Remove



Disconnect battery ground cable.
Remove LH instrument panel moulding and RH instrument panel moulding.
Crown Victoria - Remove the six retaining screws and remove the lower instrument panel steering column cover. Grand Marquis - Remove the five retaining screws and remove instrument panel steering column cover.
Remove screws securing transmission range indicator column bracket to steering column. Detach cable loop from pin and cane shift lever. Remove bracket from column.
Remove four instrument cluster attaching screws.
Disconnect the cluster connectors from the instrument cluster back plate and remove the instrument cluster.
Installation



Position the instrument cluster to the instrument panel. Connect cluster connector. Make sure the transmission range cable is routed properly. Install the four cluster retaining screws, tighten to 0.8-1.4 Nm (8-12 lb-in) .
Position the transmission range indicator column bracket to the steering column tube (locate pin in column slot) an adjust the transmission range indicator as follows:
Place transmission selector lever arm and support on the steering column tube in the 1 position.
Place loop on the indicator cable assembly over the retainer pin on the shift lever.
Secure cable bracket with screw.
Shift transmission selector lever arm and support into DRIVE (D) position. Adjust the thumb wheel on the steering column so the entire width of the pointer falls within the (D) mark.
When properly adjusted, the entire width of the pointer must fall within the width of the letter (D) and must touch the remaining letters or numerals when viewed parallel to the center line of the steering column tube from the driver's position.
Position the lower instrument panel steering column cover and install the six retaining screws.
Connect battery ground cable.
Check operation of the instruments.

[way2old]

It is easier to remove the lower dash panel under the steering wheel. Under the dash there is a small plastic wheel that is on threaded plastic. Screw the thumbwheel until the pointer lines up.

[Boyer65]

My 93 CV was doing the exact same thing- Indicator showed it was was in neutral when it was in Overdrive . The point where the cable mates
to the tranny is adjustable. Its held on by a plastic clip that looks pretty
Flimsy, Looks like it could be prone to slip over time.

Not sure if later models use this same system, Mines equiped with an AODE tranny.

Dennis

[bobss396]

Thanks all for the input. I had to drop the car off for an oil change, asked them to look at the linkage while it was on the lift. Turned out to be something loose under the dash, which only ran me like $35 to have fixed.

He is going to look into Alldata and also with Mercury to see if there are any bulletins on the problem.

Bob

[ilovetodrivecars]

Originally Posted by bobss396

Thanks all for the input. I had to drop the car off for an oil change, asked them to look at the linkage while it was on the lift. Turned out to be something loose under the dash, which only ran me like $35 to have fixed.

He is going to look into Alldata and also with Mercury to see if there are any bulletins on the problem.

Bob

Yup a small screw came apart from the linkage... It had it happen on my 97