Steering Column Repair: gear lever/steering column, brake light switch, ford taurus

Question
I have a 1996 Ford Taurus wagon with 85,000 miles. Within the past few weeks when I start the car and attempt to take it out of park, itwon't move as if something is blocking the movement of the lever. Turning the wheel and tilting it up and down at times seems to work but there doesn't seem to be a trick, just patience and fooling around with it. A friend said that it seems like it's something in the steering column that's preventing it from shifting.

Answer
Hi Joy:

It sounds to me like the shift-brake release interlock is not working properly.  This is fairly common on many Ford vehicles.  The best way to check this system is to have someone see if the brake lights are working when you step on the brakes.  Most likely you will not see them on when you depress the pedal.  This indicates the common problem...the wire from the brake light switch or the brake light switch itself is broken.
When that happens, no power is sent to the brake lights OR to the shift release solenoid.

The repair is simple.  Ford makes a brake light switch kit with new wires that can be spliced in at the brake pedal.  Once this new switch and connector is in, your shifter should work fine.

Let me know if this does not cure your problem

Good luck
Doug