I have a 98 ford taurus that is having problems.. The shifter is loose and wont stick in any gear except for park.. I have been told it was the "shifter cable" and the "linkage" I would really like to know from someone who knows what they are talking about.. Also pricing range on fixing it and how hard the job would be.. Thanks so much

 

In all honesty , this is one of those problems that one would be foolish to say it is definitely this or that without actually looking at the vehicle. There is a cable and linkage involved and it could be either one of those .Your best bet would be to call your local Ford dealer and ask them for an estimate since they have the parts dept next door etc., but they might say the same thing, like we need to see the car in order to give a somewhat worthwhile estimate. They may have seen this problem more often than a typical repair facility.

 

100% agree with hanky. It can also be a loose bolt where the cable hooks to the shifter bracket on the steering column. Or worn out bushings on the shift tube or a cracked shift tube. Lots of options on this repair.

 

I was also told that about the bolts that hook to the shifter bracket.. I guess I will just have to pay an arm n a leg and take it to a shop.. I was really hoping I didnt have to do that.. Thanks for the help guys

 

If you want to check the lower shifter arm screws, here's a few generic images of what to look for..

Not the only reason for a loose shifter, but they do come loose on a regular basis.. Look under the steering column and follow the 'main column body' on down.. You'll see where the shifter cable comes up and attaches to the lower shift arm.. The 2 torx screws that attach the arm like to come loose, or can even fall out.. If their loose, you'd just need a torx driver socket to retighten.. The 'arrow' shows the screw positions in relation to the column..