2002 Ford Escape Gear Indicator

This is a minor issue, because it doesn’t affect at all the way the car runs…



Recently, the gear indicator has started indicating that the car is in more than 1 gear; it will indicate P & R, or 1 and R, or… Virtually every combination except the correct one.



I want to emphasize that the car is running perfecly normally.



Is there a switch I can clean/replace easily that will correct this? I figure it’s just a short.

Okay, now this has turned into a major issue: The car won’t start.

Grr.

Could this be the “Transmission Range Sensor”, aka the “Neutral Safety Switch”?