How to Align a Car Shift Indicator 

This was my EXACT problem. Thanks for making a vid that CLEARLY shows how to fix it. Really nicely done! Thanks ;)

I did it! I am a lady of 59 and my 99 Ranger that looks exactly like your truck, color and all, had this problem. I ran across your video instructions and followed them exactly! It took me about an hour and I epoxied and used the zip ties. With your videos I can do these repairs and save money. Thank you ChrisFix!

This problem on any vehicle has always driven me absolutely nuts. I'm going to ask a higher price when I sell my car now :D "Look at the alignment on that gear shift. That shit's brand new."

UPDATE: Fixed it!!! Thank you Thank you @ChrisFix!!! Now my shifter feels new and my truck feels like it can run another 100k. Here's what happened. I couldn't find 1/2 of the supplies at Pep Boys so I decided to disassemble the dash to take a peak and see if I need to order the plastic part from Amazon. It took about 2-1/2 hours because I had to squeeze in upside down like in some weird sex position to see underneath the dash. I also used a handheld mirror placed on the floor mat so I wouldn't have to disassemble the screws while upside down. As it turned out, the plastic was in tact and all I had to do was adjust the little wheel. Then the gear stick was still a little loose so I located the gear screw like you show in the video. Since I didn't have any blue adhesive, I just tighten the gear screw which was loose. Wow...right away I could feel the shifter stop being loose. (I'll go back after I find the blue adhesive) Meanwhile I'm all upside down and cursing because it was really tight. I know when I asked my mechanic about this months ago, they didn't want to deal with it because they figured this was going to be a costly diagnostic problem so I have to ask you: 1. How did you know that plastic and wheel was the problem and the screw at the gear shift was loose? I would have logically assumed something was going on with the stick and disassembled the dash. 2. How did you film all of this? I could not even get my hands or head under and in between all those wires to get to the screws. Anyways, you are a !#$%^ inspiration. I'm going to show my mechanic your "Cranks but won't start" video and see if I can do that myself since they tried some diagnostic and coil replacement stuff and the truck still shakes like crazy at 2000 rpm. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Can you list (or link & size) all the equipment and supplies necessary, as I don't have any of them, and will need to buy them at the local Pep Boys? Epoxy, blue adhesive, threaded torque wrench, zip ties. I wonder why auto designers use a plastic part instead of metal? They must be idiots if the newer model trucks use the same design. I have a 1999 Mazda truck which has the same exact problems as ChrisFix... down to the dead instrument lights. It's like finding a long lost brother with the same cancer LOL. The other day, my truck just died in the parking lot. It took me a hour of slamming the gear shift back and forth until some mysterious reason, it started back up again.

Why am I watching this? I'm supposed to be studying right now! I don't even have a car...

About 5-6 years ago, something happened, Chris completely changed the way he shoots his videos. Still the same content but the energy is completely different. The old “hey guys” part was shot in zombie mode, the new one “cheerful zombie slayer” 😁.

Good video there ChrisFix, it's quick, concise and no unnecessary blah blah. I watched the whole thing and don't even own any of those cars, you mentioned. Never the less, it is good information that I'll catalog in my brain for that future "just in case" use. One thing I've learned about gluing is, to make a glue joint stronger embed a medium into the glue. I have found the best stuff to use is old used dryer sheets. You know the fibrous kind not the foam kind. They have to be used so there is no chemicals left that might react to the glue. Plus they are easy to cut into odd shapes. I fixed both interior car handles on my moms 2013 Chevy Aveo. They are notorious for breaking in half. Bad bad Chevy design. I can't do anything about the plastic chrome that came off of them but they won't break again.

For a permanent super duty repair just replace those plastics for metal bolts.

The metal replacement for the plastic piece that breaks is absolutely superb.

+LittleGojira, that metal part is important for your safety in case of an accident. It prevents protrusion of the stuff under the dash in case of a collision.

This site was exactly what I was looking for! I am a 61yr old mild mech. Would love to learn much more before I die. Keep up the good work for our younger generations!

Clear, concise no small talk, perfect video and dialogue. I've saved this to go fix my 2004 Ranger tomorrow. Thanks Chris.

Thanks for the help got mine fixed . Took mine to the shop in and two weeks broke again but after I watched this I fixed it myself.. even that little white thing was broke and did what u told me to do.. Thank u again

I love how I've got the same car as you haha, I have this same exact problem and I'm gonna have to try this sometime!

Thanks Chris. I always watch your vids when I need to fix my 2000 Mazda B3000 3.0L 4x4 . I rebuilt my engine and replaced my trany, transfer case, rear end and I watched your vids to do that. I really do appreciate it.

Why thats not a metal part i'll never know.

My F-150 is doing this exact thing. Going to dig into it tomorrow and see if it's the same type of setup. Looks really easy for an "annoying" type of fix. Thanks!

The video was good enough to get me through the fix this weekend for my 2002 f-150. Take your time. Be mindful of the three different sockets you need. More screws for my truck that the one shown but the fix is spot on. I was actually amazed everything went as well as it did. Thanks.

You make everything look so simple, that I love the way you show and teach. I'm learning a lot . Thank you.

Chris, Thank you for posting this video. My wife's 2002 Ranger Tremor just did the same thing. It was broken too. I bought a new part and just replaced it. Easy to do thanks to your guidance. I checked the two linkage bolts and they were tight. Thank you again for this insightful video. Much appreciated!

Great video. If you have access to a parts store that's close, the Dorman Part #83244 is about the same price ($11-15 depending on the retailer) as the epoxy (that I NEVER have on hand).

YOUR FILMING FOR SUCH A TIGHT SPOT IS EXCELENT. CONGRAT. I HAVE A MAZDA TRIBUTE AND THE 4th GEAR IS GIVING ME TROUBLE. NEVER THOUGHT THE PROBLEM CUD BE BETWEEN MY LEGS... THX.

u absolutely rock chris fix....the scratch repair vid was sooo great works like a charm...gonna refinish my headlights this weekend

I never comment on videos but this whole time I thought my transmission was going out.. after I did the two things you did to my ford ranger the results are staggering!!!! Thank you so much Chrisfix!!

Nicely edited vid. No wind noise and no useless info. Very nice.

Love it, fixed mine with about 10min of labor and 20min of waiting for the JBweld to dry. Worked perfectly. No epoxy handy so the weld worked great. 2002Ford F-150

am I the only one seeing that it almost spells "porno21"? :-P

These videos are priceless but what they don't show is the need to be a contortionist in order to get to the parts under the dash. My stuff doesn't bend like that if ever it did!! But...I did get it done with ChrisFix's help and would not have attempted it otherwise. Thank you Chris !!!

I'm not a mechanic by any means but I fixed my problem with your helpful video. Thanks so much

I looked up how to make things float with the air compressor and found a almost 6 year old video from you Chris fix I love it

you are pretty damn good at your job man

You make the best videos on RU-vid. Excellent editing and very thorough, you obviously put a lot of thought into your videos. Thanks

what amazes me,you find someone who can show you something worth watching,and clearly can operate a camera

I had no idea the Ranger changed so little. My 08 looks almost identical to your 01. That just means your videos will super helpful for fixing my truck.

Excellent job demonstrating how to fix the dial indicator . Have you made any other how to videos? Thanks so much .

Before i did not know anything about cars, i watched all of your videos now i know all about cars, thanks p.s im from europe so i dont know english to good

Gracias amigo tengo una ranger 99” Y tengo ese problema Gracias por tu video

Thanks Chris I was going to put my 2001 ford f 150 in the shop but after your video in the morning i'll do it my self. By the way if any any one needs home maintenance i work on just about everything. i'm in denham springs, baton rouge La. area.

Why did I even watch this? I don't have an automatic and haven't even driven one. You are like James May, making the most bland and boring thing interesting.

Way cool Chris I have a 2002 mazda B4000, one dash light bulb is burnt out, am going to replace them all tomorrow, saw the gear select indicator repair, & the other problem area with the bolt backing out when shifting going to slap blue lock tite on those bolts and shift with no problems had the truck 3 yrs runs great...

I used the two zip tie method...worked like a charm! And I have to laugh, fixing cheap plastic with more cheap plastic. If I get 10,000 miles out of this fix I'll be happy. Oh, and didn't have to pull any panels, but was a little tight working. The bracket and adjustment knob are a lot smaller than I expected. It's located a little right (passenger side) of the bottom of the steering column. Truck is a '98 F150.

hey Chrisfix as soon as I found your channel I couldn't stop watching it I can't wait to use all of the knowledge you gave me to fix my car. and thank you for the good videos I lo i.e. all of them because it's all ways worth it

I was literally going to change the steering column in my 99 Ranger XLT because I thought I had linkage problems or a bad column, you just saved me a ton of money!

I swear i actually learn more watching your vids than actually asking the autozone or oreilly guys

Totally worked, thank you again for your time in making this video! I used epoxy and for a back up, I used two zip ties. Tonight is the first night, so hopefully the epoxy holds. At the very least, I learned how to easily remove the bottom of the dash, locate the part and if I need to I'll get a new one if this doesn't hold. A+ sir! A tip of the cap to you.

An oldie but a goodie! This video was AWESOME! That column piece on my Sport Trac (Identical to the Ranger/Explorer/Mazda) was way loose, both of the screws were! Added some thread-locker, tightened those bad boys and the shifter is MUCH more stable and right on the money with the pointer! You ROCK, Chris!

Thank you SO much for this video. It was much easier than I thought to replace the broken gear indicator piece. I was also glad that you added the part about checking the screws to the shifter, as mine were loose too. Took about 30 minutes to remove, replace, secure the bolts, and put the panel back on!

Thanks for the posting and encourage more, let me add 2 cents to this video, if you have the proper nuts and washers, you can omit using the zip ties and use the nut to hand lock the adjuster in place instead.

I went to this shop by me for this problem. They told me I need a whole new steering column and wanted to charge me $350-$400. I'm going to see if me and my son can fix it. Thanks

My 2002 F150 shift indicator just broke and I was so happy that you had a video that covered this issue. Unfortunately my cable bracket was broken in three places and the epoxy wouldn't work. I was lucky as one of my local auto parts stores actually had one in stock. Everything went just like the video and I was able to have everything repaired for under $15 and an hour of my time. Many thanks, Chris!

Good video. On some vehicles, older probably, this misalignment is a sign of a bad cable from the shifter to the transmission.

I love your channel, it’s just a tutorial! No fancy frills and unnecessary editing, love what u do :)

Excellent video.....a woman could even do this and did! Thank you Chris Fix

I get lost watching these videos. By that i mean i just keep watching another and another learning about fixing cars, next thing you know im on this video. But i originally clicked how to fix a scratched rim. lol

Great , to the point and very informative.I have the same problem with my Ford Ranger, now I know how to fix it......Thanks.

These videos are life savers. I've been putting off fixing this for so long but who knew it is such a simple fix. Thanks so much!

I just got this recommended and that thumbnail sold me but the video was helpful

One of the best how-to videos on RU-vid!! Thanks!

this boy knows what he does👍👍👍 good video man👏👏👏👌👌👌 your videos helps a lot.

I'm sorry, I just can't unsee that thumbnail lool

1 have 5 second generation Dodge Ram 1500’s and I enjoy your videos I’d love to see you do some videos on some you’re more informative than any other you tubers

Great video man! Very detailed yet to the point. Worked perfectly for my 2003 F150. Thanks!

Just wanted to say thank you for this very informative video! My wire was actually just hanging because it broke off the white plastic, but I superglued the plastic back together and screwed it in and now it's perfectly aligned! Thank you (: PS: I hope you can make a video where the cruise control doesn't turn on or work at all on ford/mazda/and lincoln vehicles, specifically trucks (:

Between park and reverse, 'O' is lost.

Thanks for sharing this video. I also have found that plastic bracket is been sold on ebay made out of metal so it won't break on you.

"porno21"

GREAT VIDEO,THANKS FOR MAKING&POSTING! MY 01RANGER JUMPED PARK(WHILE RUNNING)INTO REVERSE CROSSED THE STREET HIT ONE NEIGHBORS PARKED TRUCK AND HIS NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS HOUSE!! IM GOING TO DO THIS TODAY,TIRED OF USING EMERGENCY BRAKE TO PARK AND STARTING IN NEUTRAL... THANKS AGAIN...SUBED!

LOL one time it happened to me in BeamNG Drive

Same exact break in the same exact spot on my moms ranger 😂 much appreciation for the video 👏

Your video was great. After watching it, i went outside and fixed my Ford in 30 minutes. Now no more stress on trying to jam it in park and starting.

I wish I would’ve found this video a few years ago, that shifter bolt scared the shit outta me when it fell out while driving😂

I would think about just putting a nut that threads on that on one side of the broken plastic piece and have the nut that already came on there on the other side. that would lock it in place where it would need to go

Eres mi ídolo, me ahorraste un billete y quedó al cien. Gracias Chris Fix

I thought hes gonna add 0 at the middle

Have a 98 2dr sport explorer. Same dashboard as your truck and this will help fix that same issue. Thank you

"Takes 10 minutes" Video 10 minutes and 32 seconds long You owe us

Thanks for he info. I have an 03 mountaineer and had the transmission changes last year. The mechanic through out the metal piece and broke the shift indicator. Mine is located at the top of the steering column but I can wait to try out zip ties to fix the problem since it's the threaded plastic part not the white part that is broken.

Man am I glad I found your channel

very helpful thanks! didnt have motivation to do this on the work truck but slack in the column and mismatched gear indicators piss me off!

I have a 2002 F-150. Had the same problem; however did not have to remove the panel below steering column. Simply looked up there with a flashlight and could see adjustment wheel and locking mechanism (not broken). It took about 10 seconds of adjusting and was corrected. Thank you for posting this video great job!!!

Dude sooooo helpful in detail

Gracias por compartir Muy didacta Me ha Sido de mucha ayuda. Saludos Millón de gracias.

OMG!!! I was ready to take my vehicle to the shop. Is this good for a Sport Trac? Please say it’s good for a Sport Trac. I think I love you, I’m so excited!

i have manual gear

I love Chris fix videos

7:11 S P I N T H E W H E E L **doot**

This is an awesome video. I was able to fix my Explorer's shift indicator easily after watching it.

Psh...Automatic problems

Thanks! perfect video, I got under the dash, and saw the same broken plastic piece! Thanks for the Amazon link too.

0:02 it’s showing that you’re missing the letter O

i love that you drive a Mazda B because a lot of these repairs apply to my Ford Ranger too 😋

0:04 there an "O" missing between the "P" and the "R"

Just replaced that exact part (the adjustable knob) on my 2000 ford expedition. Hardest part is taking apart underneath the steering column because there was probably about 12 bolts all together 7mm and 8mm after that the panel came out with ease. Very common problem with older ford cars. I had trouble finding just the adjustable knob part by itself so I ended up buying a new gear indicator from the ford dealership down the road for 40$. Something this easy there is no point in taking it to a mechanic, myself being mechanically inclined had it finished up and put back together in less than 45 minutes.

Anyone else seeing this recommended in quarantine

Thanks man this video helped me fix the alignment in my 1999 Ford explorer sport

When will we get a face reveal?

Thank you for the video. This video helped me fix my 2001 FORD f-150 that had the same problem.

I've been driving my truck like that for 3 years now..

Always make sure to go with the lowest bidder when you source the essential delicate, intricate and remote components for your design. Then to really supplement the long term sabotage of any longevity inherent in the design, use plastic.

"porno21"