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Must "wiggle" gear shifter for truck to start...

42K views 13 replies 12 participants last post by  Mark Kovalsky 
#1 ·
This has been happening more and more lately. The truck will not engage the starter unless I wiggle or move the gear selector lever in and out of Park a time or two. I have heard of this issue before, but couldn't remember the exact cause. Is this the park/shift lock switch/solenoid inside the steering column causing this? I have also heard that maybe it's the "digital transmission range sensor" on the tranny. It seems to basically be telling the ECM to not allow a start cycle because the truck is not fully in Park. Any other ideas with this? Thanks.
 
#3 ·
If there is slop in your selector the start looking into the column, if not I would consider the neutral safety switch. My selector has slop so I know I need to replace the bearing. I have to push it up into park sometimes to get it to start. Or I just put it in neutral first.
 
#6 ·
try putting it in neutral and starting it
 
#14 ·
Yes it could, and no it isn't.

A good way to check is to see if it starts with no problem in N. If it does that indicates that the contact in the P position has worn out. The N contact gets used much, much less.

On modern transmissions the NSS is called the TRS (Transmission Range Sensor) or MLPS (Manual Lever Position Sensor.)
 
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