So ive noticed recently that my truck is slow to shift or wont shift from Drive to Neutral. Today I put it in what appeared to be Drive when leaving a parking lot, and when I accelerated into the 4 lane road I noticed it wasnt shifting gears. Pulled into the median, and realized that even though it said it was in Drive, it was in 2nd.

Anyone know what could cause this problem? my guess would be a linkage problem, but when it comes to transmissions I'm about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. Thanks in advance!


Truck is a 4.9l E4OD 2WD.

 

Well at one point today I put it in what looked like reverse and it actually was in neutral... anyone?

 

Yes.. Sounds like a linkage problem.

 

How would I go about diagnosing exactly what and where the problem is and how to fix it?

 

Sorry for the short reply this afternoon.
Park the truck on a level surface and set the E-brake. Put your foot on the brake, start it up, and click the gear selecor into all of the gears slowly. Were they positive clicks in R D 2 1?? Is there slop in the gear selector? When in Nuetral can you put it in reverse without pulling back on the lever? Hopefully the transmission is fine and the shifter and/or column display is off.
BTW, if you had it in 2 it will not shift whatsoever, it will stay in second period.

 

i have a 95 and did the same found out that theres a little leaver on bottom of streering colom were the shift cable hooked up was very loose and about to fall off so i tightened it up - it goes and stay in gear - same thang happened on my crown vic

 

i have a 95 and did the same found out that theres a little leaver on bottom of streering colom were the shift cable hooked up was very loose and about to fall off so i tightened it up - it goes and stay in gear - same thang happened on my crown vic

 

Its not slipping out of gear while driving, but it sometimes goes into a different gear or is slow to go into a gear when I put the shifter in that gear. I'll go out and do the R N D 2 1 test today.

Usually it will go into neutral from drive without pulling back on the lever, but recently it stays in drive, and will only go into N if coming from reverse.

 

well stell thank it's the leaver it well only take a couple of seconds to find out - mine had two bolts holding leaver on and they were falling out

 

I did the P-R-N-D-2-1 Test today, and it seemed the positions were off a little. I'll go look for the lever in the morning when its light outside!