96 won't come out of park

[negoshe8n]

I have a 96 with a 302. I pulled into my driveway parked then tried to put it in drive and I couldn't get it out of park. I tried jumping the safety switch with no luck. What should I check now?

[DK1979]

I'm just passing by this board, but this happened to me the other day. I had to replace the tumbler (where you insert the key) then I had to forcefully jiggle the shifter until it became unlocked. It was a 15 dollar fix, but a PITA as well.

[___Brandon]

I would go after the switch on the brake pedal first.

Do your brake lights come on when you push the brake pedal? If they do the switch down on the pedal itself is probably good and it could be the park lock solenoid in the steering column that is causing the problem.

The following is from my 93 Grand Marquis Manual, and I think the steering column on that is similiar to a 96 Bronco. I tried to copy the picture but for some reason I can't paste it in. Basically all it shows is a little metal can probably about an inch in diameter, with a plunger coming out of one end and a couple wires coming out of the other. The plunger will some how keep the shifter from coming out of park until the solenoid is powered up, pulling it out of the way.

Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid

Removal
1. Disconnect battery ground cable and air bag backup power supply.

2. Remove lower RH and LH mouldings from instrument panel by pulling up and snapping out of retainer.

3. Remove five retaining screws from instrument panel lower cover and remove cover.

4. Remove instrument panel reinforcement.

5. Disconnect transmission range selector cable from actuator housing by removing one screw.

6. Remove four column attaching nuts and lower column assembly.

7. Remove electrical harness from brake shift interlock (BSI) solenoid assembly.

8. Remove three screws attaching BSI solenoid and insert plate to column assembly and remove solenoid and insert plate. Separate solenoid from insert plate by removing tinnerman clip.

Installation
1. Position BSI solenoid and insert plate in place and attach to column assembly with three screws as shown.

2. Connect electrical harness to BSI solenoid.

3. Attach column assembly to half car beam with four nuts.

4. Connect transmission range selector cable to column assembly with one screw.

5. Attach instrument panel reinforcement brace with three bolts.

6. Attach instrument panel lower trim cover with five bolts.

7. Install RH and LH mouldings on instrument panel.

8. Connect air bag backup power supply and battery ground cable.

[negoshe8n]

Fuses blew. Guess the trailer wiring grounded when I unpluged the trailer wiring. THANKS for the help