Ford-Escort

Hi,

You have all been very helpful before so let's see if you can crack this one please ..............


I have a Ford Focus '05 (automatic transmission) i pulled over the other day and put the car into 'Park'. When i went to pull off i found that i couldn't get the car out of 'Park' into any other gears - the tranmission was completly locked no matter how hard i tried.


I managed to get a friend out and he thought it may be a fuse as the rear lights were also out (i had recently replaced a rear brake light and it pee'd down with rain right in the middle).


It did turn out to be a blown fuse from the internal fuse-box (below the glove-box). We swapped another fuse and managed to get the car into 'Drive' - which got it home, however it is now parked up on the drive as the tranmission is locked in 'park' again .


So any ideas what caused it? Do you think it could be as simple as water getting into the wiring when i changed the brake bulb in the rain (i did try and cover it).... or do you think it could be something more serious?


Any answers would be greatly appreciated before i have a look at it.

Thanks for your help in advance!!

SteveB

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like either the brake light switch or gearbox inhibitor switch which are faulty stopping the lock undoing to let you move the gear stick....

When the engines running and you apply the foot brake can you hear a clicking by the gear stick if not that's ya problem. My misses has a 56 plate auto Focus

B19 JUB

make sure you got the right brake light bulb in there fella.may sound silly but it could be back feeding causing auto box ecu to not think brake predal is pressed.happens on corsas too

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

First check the brake lights work as this will show the switch to be working, I can't see the bulb would make any difference.

Other than that if it's getting power to the solenoid then that itself must be faulty.

The inhibitor switch only prevents the car starting in any gear other than Park or Neutral.

In any case you can use the manual "Override switch" if you get stuck as this is the very reason it's there for.

Martin

Ford-Escort

Hi,

Cheers for the information - really appreciate it

If anyone else has any advice please send it my way - could really do with sorting this myself because i don't have the money to get a machanic over to look at it.

Steve B: checked, got no clicking sound, but to be fair the fuse has already blown for the rear lights.

Any other advice from you experts - really is appreciated

James

try and smack the lever & button with the palm of your hand. i short sharp tap sometimes gets them going again.

tabetha

If the fuse you replaced is also feeding the brake light circuit, then that will be the problem, with no feed going to the brake light switch, or if seperate the inhibitor switch it won't unlock the gear lever allowing movement out of park.
It is possible that when replacing the bulb that water has go into the brake light bulb holder or on the contacts somewhere for the brake light/s, if this causes a short everytime you brake you will always blow the fuse.
tabetha

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

What he ^^ said.

Martin

Ford-Escort

Thanks Tabetha - useful advice

I've finally got time to look at the car tomorrow so hopfully i'll get it sorted - i will post the outcome.

If you have any other suggestions/ information -please post

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

Remove the bulb you fitted, replace the fuse and try again. The bulb could be faulty causing a short, thus blowing the fuse. Certainly sounds like that is your problem.

Ford-Escort

:c lap::cla p:


Hi,

Thanks guys - after all that it was as simple as a faulty bulb, replaced this and the fuses that had blow - job done!!

Cheers for all your advice - always new you were the best!!



:resp ekt: