Transmission not shifting and front wheels turn while in park

2002 MERCURY SABLE
100,000 MILES • 6 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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KIMWOODALL3
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Car will not shift and front wheels turn when car is in park.
Jan 31, 2020 at 12:14 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
  • CERTIFIED EXPERT
  • 52,796 POSTS
Good evening,

When you shift from park to another gear, do the backup lights work? It sounds like you may have a bad shift cable.

Roy

Removal


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1. Remove the LH lower instrument panel trim.


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2. Reach up from the left side of the column, then using a small screwdriver, pry the shift cable from the shift selector lever pivot ball.
3. Remove the shift cable from the retaining bracket by carefully lifting up on the locking tab while pulling up on the shift actuator cable fitting.
4. From the engine compartment, remove the cruise control actuator.


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5. Pry the cable grommet from the dash panel.


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6. Remove the nut holding the shift cable to the manual control lever.


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7. Lifting up on the locking tab while pulling up on the shift cable, remove the shift cable from the transmission shift cable bracket.
Discard the locking clip.
8. Pull the shift cable through the dash panel opening.
Jan 31, 2020 at 2:37 PM