Ford Thunderbird Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection at your home or office.

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Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection Service

How much does a Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Ford Thunderbird Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1971 Ford ThunderbirdV8-6.6LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
1982 Ford ThunderbirdL6-3.3LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1973 Ford ThunderbirdV8-6.6LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1988 Ford ThunderbirdV6-3.8LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
1980 Ford ThunderbirdL6-3.3LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.02 - $112.55
1988 Ford ThunderbirdL4-2.3L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1985 Ford ThunderbirdV6-3.8LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$109.87 - $117.28
1990 Ford ThunderbirdV6-3.8L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$110.24 - $117.94
Show example Ford Thunderbird Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection prices

You start the car up, put your foot the brake, push the button on the shifter and it won’t shift out of park. What do you do now? Don’t force the shifter. Forcing the shifter out of park may cause more damage. The shifter is connected to the transmission in some cars mechanically or electronically. If an electrical or mechanical component has failed between the shifter and transmission, you won’t be able to shift the car out of park. A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to diagnose the problem with your vehicle. The mechanic will then provide an inspection report detailing the scope and cost of the necessary repairs

When to have your shifter inspected or replaced:

Have this system inspected only when a part in the shifter or part of the system that operates the transmission breaks] . There is no scheduled time frame for replacing parts in the shifting system. However, all parts can wear out and have the potential to fail, and in a perfect situation, all the parts in the shifting system would last the life of the vehicle.

Symptoms that may indicate your shifter will fail include:

  • Shifter can be moved but has a lot of resistance
  • When shifting into a gear, drive or reverse, it feels difficult to find the right spot. The transmission ends up in neutral instead. You may notice that the engine will accelerate when stepping on the gas pedal but the car doesn’t move.
  • When starting the car with the key, the ignition cylinder feels loose and has play.
  • No brake lights in the vehicle, brake pedal switch could be faulty.
  • Shifter feels completely loose -- like it’s not connected to the transmission at all.

How a mechanic will inspect a car that won’t shift from park:

There are a number of reasons why a car will not move from park to drive. They can range from the shifter being locked to a broken shifter cable. Mechanics will check for these things:

  • Failed brake light switch

  • Bad shift interlock solenoid or wiring: The shift interlock solenoid is a safety feature that has been added to all modern automatic-transmission cars. It prevents the driver from shifting out of park without a foot on the brake.

  • Broken transmission shift cable: A cable connects the shifter handle to the transmission, and if that is broken, the shifter will be inoperable

  • Ignition key tumbler is worn out: The ignition switch not only starts your car, but it also locks the steering wheel when the key is taken out. In cars with automatic transmissions, a shift interlock solenoid is also part of the ignition system, and it locks the transmission so it cannot be shifted out of park (as described above).

  • Broken shifter mechanism: It is also possible that the shifter itself is broken. A mechanic will remove the center console to examine the actual shifter mechanism.

Is it safe to drive with this problem?

Since you can’t move the car without shifting from park to drive, it’s important to enlist the help of one of our mechanics as soon as possible to inspect and then repair the issue.

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Meet some of our expert Ford mechanics

Real customer reviews from Ford owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(153)

Rating Summary
145
3
2
0
3
145
3
2
0
3

David

25 years of experience
180 reviews
David
25 years of experience
Ford Thunderbird V8-3.9L - Car does not shift from park to drive - Lady Lake, Florida
David arrived at the appointed time and had everything he needed to make the repair. He found the problem but had to order a different part and will return to finish the job. He is a credit to your firm, which can be credited to his time in the US Marine Corps as well as liking what he does.

Christopher

5 years of experience
11 reviews
Christopher
5 years of experience
Ford Thunderbird V8-3.9L - Ignition Coil - Sacramento, California
Chris was on time and did a great job diagnosing the problems and fixing my car.

Jeff

19 years of experience
9 reviews
Jeff
19 years of experience
Ford Thunderbird V8-4.6L - Alternator - Carlsbad, California
Jeff was timely and professional. I will request him for my next service and I highly recommend him.

Patrick

32 years of experience
369 reviews
Patrick
32 years of experience
Ford Thunderbird V8-5.8L - coolant temp sensor - Las Vegas, Nevada

Excellent Rating

(153)

Rating Summary
145
3
2
0
3
145
3
2
0
3
Number of Ford Thunderbird services completed
1683+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Ford MECHANICS
1700+
experts on our platform

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