major problems please help me!

[gotalemon]

About a month ago, my 96 taurus dome light and lights on the front doors would not go off. I shut all the doors hard and they still will not go off, but after you turn the car off and wait awhile they will go off. Now it is a month later, and my husband was driving the car home from work and the car started making a sqreeching like noise from under the steering wheel and now we have no power steering, radio, clock, brake lights, turn signals, power windows, can't shift from park, no working windshield wipers, etc. He replaced the transmission range sensor and the brake light switch, but still all the same problems. What could be wrong? And after replacing the transmission range sensor do you have to reset the computer or anything or should it just work? Oh, and now we have no dome lights or door lights at all.

[nfaber]

My 98 Taurus did the same thing with the interior lights. What I'm told is that the magnetic switch that is supposed to detect the fact that the door is closed goes bad.

I finally removed the dome light bulb and let all the others burn out. I still get a "door open" icon on the dashboard, but at least I don't have to drive around with the interior lights on.

Of course now I have to use the map reading lights if I want to see anything at night.

Can't speak to the rest of what you described.

Good luck.

[KimMG]

Did you check the fan belt? Physically check the location of the brake light switch and see if anything is rubbing the wiring harness. I assume you have already checked fuses and fusible links. A wiring diagram can help trace a common point for all these electrical problems. It is possible the power steering loss is a separate problem.

[joe92k1500]

When you say you cant shift from park, will the shift lever not move or does the lever move and the transmission does not go into gear? If it does not move at all the shif cable could be bound up. The fix for the door lights staying on is to soak the door latch with WD-40. This will free up the sensor. Make sure it is done on the driver and pasenger door latch.

[gotalemon]

Yes, I already checked all the fuses. They are all okay. I also checked the relays. Except for on the ccrm because I don't know how to do that. The shift lever will not move unless you put the key in and turn it straight up and then start the car in neutral and then you can move it to other gears, but if you put the car in park you have to turn the car off again and start all over in neutral because it will not move again.

[armstsho]

"after replacing the transmission range sensor"
What gear did he have the car in when he replaced it?
I think you're supposed to put it in neutral.
Maybe take it back off & try again.
Might have lined up funny when he installed it.

[Gravesubject]

Almost everything that you described involves the cabin electrical system. Also, your car may have the electrically shifted transmission (my 2000 does, but not sure about my '95.... may still be mechanical) and the speed-sensitive power steering is probably electrically controlled.

Find a good electrical diagnostician and hope for the best.