First post! PLEASEEE help!
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Joined: Sep 2010
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First post! PLEASEEE help!
Hey guys, Names charles, im new to this fourm but i just
picked up a 98 5.4L Auto 4x4 with 151k on it, needs lost of work
its pretty rough but i got it for 800 bucks lol. but it has a weird
problem that just started to happen, When u start
the truck up in park it wont go into any gear but if you start
it in neutral it will go into gear and since this started to happen, none of my
brake lights work, the running lights come on, but when u press
the brake, none of the 3 lights get brighter.
All help is greatly appreciated, thx
picked up a 98 5.4L Auto 4x4 with 151k on it, needs lost of work
its pretty rough but i got it for 800 bucks lol. but it has a weird
problem that just started to happen, When u start
the truck up in park it wont go into any gear but if you start
it in neutral it will go into gear and since this started to happen, none of my
brake lights work, the running lights come on, but when u press
the brake, none of the 3 lights get brighter.
All help is greatly appreciated, thx
Last edited by Char92dj8; Sep 19, 2010 at 10:50 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 17
From: Pittsburgh, PA
The two could just be a coincindence. As far as the lights- I would check the brake light switch on the brake pedal. they live a hard life with the wire flexing and all. Me wife had an 88 Cougar and I had to repair the electrical connection on the brake switch 2 times on it. You will probably find a weak or broken connection.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 117
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Charles you could just use a jump wire across the brake light switch above the brake pedal to ck if that sw bad or good. As for your transmission can you put the truck in any position other than park or neutral and start it?
And just one more item you should pick up a good repair manual, they do help.
And just one more item you should pick up a good repair manual, they do help.
NOM NOM NOM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,473
Likes: 22
From: Pa
Isn't there a safety switch where you have to depress the brake pedal before shifting out of park? Maybe it's bad, or out of adjustment (I don't know how they work), and it won't let you shift out of park. When you start it in neutral,the safety switch may be elimimated from the equation.
May also have something to do with your brake lights not working.
May also have something to do with your brake lights not working.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 117
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Thats the shift interlock system and the shift lock actuator in mounted on the steering column. When the ignition key is turned to the run position, the actuator is energized unless the brake pedal is depressed. If the shift lever cannot be moved out of park
CK
The shift lock actuator receives voltage when the ignition key is in the run position. This circuit energizes the actuator and it prevents you from moving the shift lever out of park.The actuator also receives voltage from another circuit, through the brakelight switch, that is closed only when the brake pedal is depressed. Its this second circuit that de-energizes the solid state actrator when the brake pedal is depressed. So first, try to verify that the actuator is working.
Get inside the vehicle, close the doors and windows, start the engine, let it settle down to a fully warmed-up idle, put your head under the dash so that your ear is close to the actuator (its mounted on the steering column), then depress the brake pedal and listen carefully for the sound of the actuator clicking.
If you don't hear the actuator click when you depress the brake pedal, ck the 5A fuse for the actuator and the 15A fuse for the brake light switch. Replace either fuse if its bad and recheck the actuator.
If the actuator and brake light switch fuses are good but the actuator still doesn't click when the brake pedal is depressed, verify that the actuator is getting battery voltage through both circuits (one is hot in the run position, one is hot only when the brake light switch is closed).
If the actuator isn't getting voltage through the first "hot-in-run-only" circuit, repair that circuit and retest.
If the actuator isn't getting voltage through the brake light switch circuit, apply the brake pedal and verify that the brake lights come on.
a) If the brake lights don't come on, troubleshoot the brake light circuit and determine whether the circuit itself or the brake light switch is defective, make the necessary repairs of component replacement, then retest the actrator.
b) If the brake lights come on, the brake light switch and circuit are okay. Repair the circuit between the brake light switch and the actuator and retest.
c) If the actuator still doesn't replace it.
CK
The shift lock actuator receives voltage when the ignition key is in the run position. This circuit energizes the actuator and it prevents you from moving the shift lever out of park.The actuator also receives voltage from another circuit, through the brakelight switch, that is closed only when the brake pedal is depressed. Its this second circuit that de-energizes the solid state actrator when the brake pedal is depressed. So first, try to verify that the actuator is working.
Get inside the vehicle, close the doors and windows, start the engine, let it settle down to a fully warmed-up idle, put your head under the dash so that your ear is close to the actuator (its mounted on the steering column), then depress the brake pedal and listen carefully for the sound of the actuator clicking.
If you don't hear the actuator click when you depress the brake pedal, ck the 5A fuse for the actuator and the 15A fuse for the brake light switch. Replace either fuse if its bad and recheck the actuator.
If the actuator and brake light switch fuses are good but the actuator still doesn't click when the brake pedal is depressed, verify that the actuator is getting battery voltage through both circuits (one is hot in the run position, one is hot only when the brake light switch is closed).
If the actuator isn't getting voltage through the first "hot-in-run-only" circuit, repair that circuit and retest.
If the actuator isn't getting voltage through the brake light switch circuit, apply the brake pedal and verify that the brake lights come on.
a) If the brake lights don't come on, troubleshoot the brake light circuit and determine whether the circuit itself or the brake light switch is defective, make the necessary repairs of component replacement, then retest the actrator.
b) If the brake lights come on, the brake light switch and circuit are okay. Repair the circuit between the brake light switch and the actuator and retest.
c) If the actuator still doesn't replace it.
cms67
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 35
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From: Mobile, Alabama
Your shifter lever needs tweeked. There is a little adjustment under the steering column that lets you adjust the needle so that "P" is in the right position and so on. If it is not lined up right, your truck won't start in Park, but will start in Neutral. It happened tp mine.
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Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 187
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My 98 did the same thing. The switch on the brake pedal that controls both the brake lights and transmission lockout is not working. You probably have not noticed that the cruise control won't work either. Replace the switch on the pedal.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,072
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From: Bedford, TX
Originally Posted by cms67
Your shifter lever needs tweeked. There is a little adjustment under the steering column that lets you adjust the needle so that "P" is in the right position and so on. If it is not lined up right, your truck won't start in Park, but will start in Neutral. It happened tp mine.