My Ford Truck Won't Shift Into Gear When Pressing the Brake Pedal
by John Cook
Ford trucks are great for hauling or towing, but you can't get very far if your truck is stuck in park. Fortunately, the problem is not too difficult to solve, and you'll be able to override the interlock between the brake and transmission and get the truck going again. While you don't want to drive the truck around without the ability to put it in park without it sticking, you can drive the truck for long enough to get it to a certified repair facility.
Step 1
Set the parking brake, remove the key from the ignition and leave the shifter in Park.
Step 2
Look underneath the steering column and locate the plug on the bottom of the steering column cover, just to the shifter side of center.
Step 3
Remove the plastic cover using a flat head screwdriver.
Step 4
Press the override button, press the brake and move the shifter from park into neutral. Replace the cover over the button and start the car with the transmission in neutral. Do not move the transmission back into neutral, otherwise you'll have to redo the procedure.
Step 5
Check the brake lights are working. A common cause of a problem with the transmission is a fault in the circuit that operates the brake lights. Operating without brake lights is illegal, so take the vehicle to a certified repair facility.
References
Tips
- When moving the transmission into neutral sit in the seat and hold the screwdriver on the button with your left hand, bolt the brake with your right foot and move the shifter with your right hand, otherwise you may not be able to reach everything.
Warnings
- If you don't use the parking brake often, then make sure it does not stick on. Sometimes it will not release correctly if you have not used it for a long time.
Writer Bio
John Cook has been writing professionally since 2010 and has over 20 years of experience working with horses and animals, and over 8 years of experience in the web design and computing industry. Cook holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Maryland.
