Shift Gear Indicator, slipped!

My truck will no longer indicate the gear selection.

It will still shift, it is drivable, but the safety break pedal, priot to shifting is not working.

Visally inspected the linkage, could not see any problems.

Any help will be appreciated, thanks in advance.

Dick

Reply to
man Aug
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I'm not sure if my truck had the exact same thing or not so what I am putting here might be of any use to you but I thought it might be worth while to write. So, I hope I don't waste your time here if it isn't the same as your problem. My '99 F150 had that happen to it 2 years ago. I took it to the dealer and the service manager knew what it was as soon as I told him. He went and looked to make sure that was it and sure enough he was right. Up under the dash you will see where there is piece that controls where the pointer points to. That piece will break sometimes so the pointer can't move properly. The service manager looked up the part number and quoted me the cost of the replacement but I don't recall how much it was. Since it wasn't affecting anything except the visual knowledge of what gear I was in I was too concerned to get it fixed right that second. I took my truck home and looked up in under the dash myself. When I saw the part the service manager was referring to, I figured I could take a crack at fixing it myself. I took a small tie-wrap and put it around the piece and it has been great ever since. It has been 2 years now and it hasn't messed up once again. The part you will look for (if it is like mine) is a small white bracket mounted to the lower side of the steering column under the dash. You will have to lay on the floor mat and almost rest your head on the brake pedal to get a good view. Running through that white bracket is a black piece that looks like a little wheel with a stem on it. Coming out the end of the little wheel will look like a brown piece of thick thread that connects to the pointer. Anyway, that white bracket will break and let the black piece slide through it a bit. This is why the pointer won't line up correctly any more. While holding the black piece in the proper position (get someone to watch the pointer for you) you can fasten a small tie-wrap around the black stem part to hold the piece in place. If this is in fact the same problem as you have and/or if you want me to clarify the part I am referring to, I can try to snap a pic with my digital camera and email it to you. Hope this all helps.

Cheers, Lawrence

Reply to
Lawrence

I did something similar. I used one of those clamps that secure the windows of your house to clamp the plastic piece against something behind the dash. Don't clamp down too hard. I did have to remove some panels and remove the ignition lock. Be sure to disconnect the battery. You could activate the air bags if you don't. The tie that Lawrence talks about sounds interesting. I have a 1998 F-150. I used one of those Haynes manuals to figure out how to get in there. From there on it was a jerryrigging job. Good luck.

Reply to
Larry Suddarth

Dear Lawrence,

Your input is greatly appreciated, thanks a bunch, will follow your instructions and see what can be done, will get back with you. d.

Reply to
man Aug

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