New site, new question: Anyone have issues with a slipping gear shifter?

[J Piroth]

So...yesterday my 2001 ST, which I already know has transmission issues, started doing something else odd.

The column shifter seems loose and it became hard to get it into park. I figured out that if I drop it all the way down, then move it all the way back up I can get it into park, but it's awkward.

I also happened to find a single bolt lying on my driver's side floorboard that may or may not be related to the now-loose column shifter. It's fairly short and has a star-shaped torx head on it.

Is this something that fell out of my shifter and resulted in the new looseness? Is it unrelated? Any thoughts on this fun little ST mystery?

 

[swshawaii]

Before climbing under there, have a Torx T-30 wrench or socket, blue Loctite, and flashlight handy. (See post #42)

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...se-gear-shifter-and-what-is-this-bolt.219144/

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...sh-problem-going-in-gear.266031/#post-2781368

 

[J Piroth]

Hell yeah, thanks SWS. Figured that was way too coincidental. I'll get in there tonight and see if I can fix it.

 

[J Piroth]

Fixed it at lunch. Intention was to use Loctite, but I stopped at Advance Auto Parts and couldn't get the truck into Park. Was afraid I wouldn't be able to start it again, so I just went home and screwed the bolt back in. Pain in the ass to reach up there, but I got in without having to remove any panels and got it nice and snug, as well as tightening the other bolt.

Thanks again for the links. Helped a ton.

 

[swshawaii]

Good job, glad the links helped. Like the new format of this site, but good things usually take time. Another thing is I couldn't connect here with Google Chrome, and had to change to the Mozilla Firefox browser. I'm sure it will all get worked out in time. Where's the "thumbs up" icon? LOL