I have a 2003 f150 fx4 5.4 v8, today I came home and as I was putting my truck in park the needle got stuck in reverse, but the truck was in park. Since then the shift selector is one notch off. Reverse is neutral, when in drive shifter says drive 1, etc. I have noticed the shifter has always had play in it. In the past I used the dial on the linkage line to make the needle more accurate. But the shifter has always had play in it. I was wondering if the bolts that connect the shift lever to the indicator are loose and it slipped? I was hoping to avoid buying a new shifter and indicator, due to the fact I gotta put a new engine in the truck soon.


Also one last question, several years ago the odometer went black. I had taken it out and soldered it and it worked good for a few years. Now its back acting up again. As well as the speedo will jump around sometimes from 50 to 60 or 45 to 55mph. I have seen different shops that I can mail the gauge cluster to and let them fix it. But I was wondering if it would be better just to replace with an oem cluster?

 

I can't tell you what's wrong with your shifter but I can tell you how it works. There's a cable that comes off of your shifter that goes up to the indicator. With the cable disconnected the indicator defaults to the far right. In park, the indicator is locked against a spring that pushes the indicator to the right. Actually, any position of the indicator that isn't to the far right the indicator is locked in position against the spring. Since your indicator works but is off position, it's probably a cable adjustment or the spring needs replacement. Also since the indicator gizmo just snaps into the cluster, maybe it's come out of it's position in the cluster?

 

This is the part
https://www.autozone.com/collision-b...?checkfit=true

And this is the problem.

 

X2 this is what you need

 

^ X3

Happened to me a few years ago. it was super easy to fix

 

^X4 just fixed mine a few days ago with a zip tie. You can buy a new part for like $14 at Autozone, etc... Or zip tie it, fixes it, no problem!