neutral safety switch?

[ehh1971]

ok, this problem is about to drive me crazy. whenever my festiva is cold, i mash the brake and the "switch' does not switch until the car interior is warmed up. sometimes i have to rock the car back and forth. sometimes i have to shut car off and then back on. sometimes, i can get in it, start it up and take off. get to, say, the gas station. if i pump my gas and get back in, the could won't shift out of park...stupid switch won't let it.

i about took a bat to the car today, cause i was in a hurry. anyway, is there something i can remove, unhook, etc. to get this thing to keep me from being temporarily stranded?

please advise, thank you.

[monkeyracing]

There should be an emergency override switch next to the shift lever. It's either a surface mounted button, or a hole, possibly covered by a cap, that you can insert something into to slide the switch rearwards to release the lever.

Quote from service manual "Also, the shift lever cannot be moved from the PARK position unless the key is on and the brake pedal is depressed. An emergency override button next to the selector lever will allow the lever to be moved anytime it is slid rearward.

The shift-lock system consists of a switch that indicates PARK range, a shift-lock servo, a cable and the emergency override button. When the key is on and the brake pedal is depressed the servo extracts a lock pin from the linkage and allows the selector lever to be moved. In an emergency situation, the shift lever is also released by sliding the emergency override button rearward. The servo, Park range switch and emergency override button are all located at the gear selector housing.

The things that may be causing you the problem are either a faulty solenoid (not terribly likely, but possible) or an out of adjustment safety switch on the brake pedal assembly.

[FB71]

The shift interlock is what you're having trouble with, not the neutral safety switch. Neutral safety prevent the engine from cranking in a gear position other than park/neutral.

Most likely, its gummed up with some old soda, etc.. Your's is a common concern I saw every winter, while working at the Ford dealer.

[jglutz]

Curious...how many of the interlock problems come from spilled soda and are accelersted by a misissing heat sheild...might explian why it works in the winter after the car warms up.

[ehh1971]

i have noticed that little switch, but it has never done anything...

[ehh1971]

i know my heat shield is there cause it rattles occasionally...

[miami man]

i had the same problem so this is how i fixed it temporary. take the gear shift nob off by loostining the locknut under the handle then take the consol off by the screwes then. now as you look to the to the right of the gear selector you will see a link rod that is pointing up press the brake and gently push that rod forward and it will unlock the gearshift. keep the consol cover off until you can go to the junkyard to find the soloniod to the right of everything (black box like thing ? and replace it and i have not had anytrouble since. i replaced the overide button and it would not work everytime so i went this rout.