'04 Explorer Won't Shift Out of Park

7,845

Asked by apbimmer98 May 25, 2016 at 05:16 PM about the 2004 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer V6 4WD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

My aunt's 2004 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer will not shift out of park. In order to shift out of park, you have to reach under the steering column and depress the override switch, and that's the only way to get it into gear. Once it's out of park, you can shift through all of the other gears without issue.
I have heard about the brake switch, but the brake lights still work fine, and I would assume you wouldn't be able to shift into reverse either if that was bad. Could it still be bad, or is it something else? Maybe the shift interlock solenoid? Any ideas?

6 Answers

74,180

The problem could be in the shift interlock module, normally located under the center console. The 2006 and 07 explorers had faulty modules which were replaced free under a TSB. Since the manual over-ride bypasses the module, check there first.

3 people found this helpful.
7,845

Cool, I'll look into that. I have heard about that under the center console.

1 people found this helpful.
20

Did y’all try the brake light switch.May be out.Need to be replaced.

2 people found this helpful.
7,845

I honestly don't remember what we did to fix it, but I know it was something relatively simple. It may have been the brake light switch, because I remember at one point the brake lights were not working. Not sure if that was at the same time as this issue, though.

5 people found this helpful.
30

" In order to shift out of park, you have to reach under the steering column and depress the override switch, and that's the only way to get it into gear. Once it's out of park, you can shift through all of the other gears without issue. " photo location would be nice .....

3 people found this helpful.
7,845

This was years ago, but the brake light switch fixed this issue. It's the shift lock solenoid on the steering column that you need to manually pull. There is a lever. I don't have a picture handy, but if you Google it, there are several out there on various Explorer forums.

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