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Neutral Safety Switch


tgray528

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Here is the problem. 99 ford Ranger xlt, Automatic, 4.0L, 4x4.. Truck starts fine. Shifter moves as it should along the dash when shifting it . When in park it won't roll so its in park, then in neutral it will roll like it should. When you put the truck in Reverse, Drive, 2nd or 1st it will not engage the gear. When you step on the pedal it just revs up like its still in park or neutral. Is this an issue with the Neutral Safety switch which is on the side of the transmission where the shifter linkage hooks to? They also call it a few other things, Transmission Range Sensor, Manual Lever position sensor and even seen it called the Transmission control module... Transmission levels are fine. Linkage is fine, Shift tube isn't broken... Please help
 


tgray528

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Oh and there has been no issues with the transmission or anything prior to this, it just stopped working!
 
enjr44

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Lurk!
 
Spott

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His "Lurk!" means he's posting here so that he can be notified when new things are added to the thread, because he's interested in knowing about it, but that he doesn't have anything to say right now. It means he's "lurking in the background".

The switch you're asking about (and it's not the transmission control module, that's something completely different, but your switch connects to it) simply reports what the transmission is doing (or what you've told it to do), it does not control the transmission or tell it what to do.

It sounds like you either have a shifter linkage failure inside the transmission, or have a major transmission failure of some sort. Either it's staying in neutral (park is kind of a separate function, so it wouldn't have to be affected) or it's not passing any power from the input to the output through the transmission.

Why do you ask about the switch? Is there something about the switch that doesn't seem right?

I'd get a service manual for the transmission and start looking at the internal parts of the shifter linkage, and follow the troubleshooting guide, at least as far as you're comfortable with your tools and skills. If you can't find or fix it that way, it's probably best to look for outside help, like a shop.
 
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Big Jim M

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This must be a ride that is new to you. If not then what led up to this condition? Have you checked the tranny fluid? If the tranny has leaked out enough fluid you will have a similar condition. Also the filter can cause similar. But if you have been driving this ride you should have noticed conditions leading up to complete failure.
Big Jim
 

tgray528

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Big Jim M said:
This must be a ride that is new to you. If not then what led up to this condition? Have you checked the tranny fluid? If the tranny has leaked out enough fluid you will have a similar condition. Also the filter can cause similar. But if you have been driving this ride you should have noticed conditions leading up to complete failure.
Big Jim
Click to expand...
There was no leading up to this. He drives it daily. No signs of anything wrong with it before this happened. Tranny fluid levels are fine checked numerous times. He was driving down the road making a right turn when all of a sudden the truck stalled. Pulled to the side of the road, restarted the truck (started fine) put it in gear and it just revved up. None of the gears would work! Park is park though and neutral is neutral but no gear will engage
 

tgray528

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I got the idea of the switch on the transmission from googling over and over and over as to what could be wrong with the truck. I think maybe you're right. We are going to pull the tranny pan off and see if the linkage inside the transmission broke. I've watch a couple videos and it seems logical that something inside could be wrong. While we are there we will change the tranny filter :) It won't be done til this weekend but I'll keep you all updated when we do figure it out.. Any other suggestions would be appreciated in case this isn't the issue
 
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