Windstar Is sifting too loose

[tigerstyle64]

I have a 2000 Ford Windstar and it is sifting threw R N D to loose. So loose that if we are not very careful we will go right past the gear we want to be in. It is not jiggly or anything it just jumps threw the gears. When we are in the gear we want to be in it stays with no problem and the automatic transmission doesn't have a problem shifting or anything. It also doesn't bounce around, it just doesn't take a lot of pressure to switch gears.

All the things I have read on it says that it is just probably a screw loose but the descriptions of the problem they are having doesn't seem to be what we are having they are saying the lever is vibrating or something and mine is not doing any such thing.

If anybody could help or point me in the right direction I would be greatly appreciative thanks

[wiswind]

That is a new problem for me.
The gear select should have detents....that you have to pull the lever back to shift from gear to gear.
That is a function of the steering column mounted gear select lever.

The gear select lever connects to a cable that goes to the Transmission Range Selector (TRS) aka Neutral Safety Switch.
This has a bunch of different contacts that tell the computer what gear you have selected.....and the functions for each.....like making you be in PARK or NEUTRAL to start the vehicle.......and there is a shaft down into the transmission that will engage the PARK "pawl" when you shift into Park.

I'm thinking that your issue is in the steering column mounted gear select as you mention no other issues.

I have no experience with that unit......as I had no problems with mine.

Hopefully someone else will respond with some actual help with your issue.

[northern piper]

On my 2000 the same thing happened and the first symptom was that the indicator that points to PRND started to be a bit "off". Aside from that, the van functioned fine.

I crawled upside down under the steering column and found that the mounting bracket had become quite loose. There were 2 torx screws (maybe a T25 IIRC) that needed tightening. Once done, the shifting was very solid. I think I might have posted about this... do a search on my username and see.

The worst part about the job was the awkward position I had to get in to see what I was doing. Pretty easy once done.

[northern piper]

yep.. I did.. here it is

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...hlight=shifter

[so2315]

Just went through this a week ago with my 2000. Turned out the two screws on the linkage up under the dash were about ready to fall out. Tightness them up and it is rock solid now!