# 2006 Ford Focus SE stuck in reverse **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** focus, ford\ **Created:** [October 6, 2023, 10:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273 "2023-10-06T22:57:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![malachilower\_187160](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@malachilower\_187160](https://community.cartalk.com/u/malachilower_187160)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 10:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/1 "2023-10-06T22:57:25Z")
after backing out of a parking spot (downhill) I shifted it into drive (auto transmission) and The car stayed in reverse. I tried every gear (including N) with the same result. got 90k miles on it, it needs all it’s fluids changed (I mean all) but I haven’t had enough to buy new fluid. ofc once I turned it off it won’t turn on again (just because it’s not in park). the codes are P2442, B1503, and B1499. the first is probably because i cut a hole in my vent and the other two are likely just low battery, but no codes regarding the transmission. I’m not afraid to rip out the tranny, I’d just rather not. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/2 "2023-10-06T23:00:17Z")
Do the rear brake lights turn on when you step on the brake pedal? The B1503 & 1499 may refer to a problem w/ the turn signals, so check them too for good measure. ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 11:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/3 "2023-10-06T23:03:03Z")
Try looking to see if the shifter cable is broken. ---
**Author:** ![malachilower\_187160](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@malachilower\_187160](https://community.cartalk.com/u/malachilower_187160)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 11:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/4 "2023-10-06T23:04:52Z")
yes they do, I can hear my 4 ways clicking but my turn signal doesn’t. I’m not worried because the battery ran out right after checking the codes (this was right before i checked the codes) ---
**Author:** ![malachilower\_187160](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@malachilower\_187160](https://community.cartalk.com/u/malachilower_187160)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 11:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/5 "2023-10-06T23:05:36Z")
I don’t know how; what am I looking for? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 11:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/6 "2023-10-06T23:06:45Z")
> [@malachilower\_187160](#): > > the battery ran out right after checking the codes Next step is probably to recharge the battery for 8-12 hours using a shop battery charger on the 2 amp charge rate. .Your trans is electrically actuated, so it won’t work if battery is discharged too much. ---
**Author:** ![malachilower\_187160](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@malachilower\_187160](https://community.cartalk.com/u/malachilower_187160)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/7 "2023-10-06T23:08:02Z")
I’ll update in the morning when it’s finished ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/8 "2023-10-06T23:16:22Z")
Sometimes the shifter bushing wears and pops off. [Ford Focus automatic transmission shifter cable bush repair - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LY0thIq7oc&t=36s) ---
**Author:** ![malachilower\_187160](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@malachilower\_187160](https://community.cartalk.com/u/malachilower_187160)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 11:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/9 "2023-10-06T23:53:33Z")
I’m having trouble finding it, it’s behind the driver side front tire, right? ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 12:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/10 "2023-10-07T00:15:00Z")
The gear selector cable attaches to the side of the transmission facing the front of the car. Raise the hood and look down between the radiator and transmission for the end of the shift cable. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 4:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/11 "2023-10-07T04:13:06Z")
The blue line is going around the transmission shifter lever that weekend-warrior and Nevada\_545 is talking about, it should be moving when the gear shift handle is being moved inside the car… If not your issue is between the 2, ether a bushing, shift cable or gear shifter… Also you may be able to shift it by hand using the trans shift lever… If the shift lever is working as it should with the gear shifter, then you have an internal issue with the transmission, and an inspection tear down will be required until the issue is found… The shift lever may be easier to see from under the vehicle depending on splash shields etc… ![shifhter lever focus](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/5/7/57b87a9ac7dffe755f87845cad31fe639a1aaa8f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![malachilower\_187160](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@malachilower\_187160](https://community.cartalk.com/u/malachilower_187160)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2023, 5:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/12 "2023-10-07T17:47:58Z")
Good news, found it and the turn signal codes went away with a chargedish battery Bad news, the cable is still attached and doesn’t look like it can just fall off. I manually put it in park and after work I’ll try to start it. My next thought is that the cable is either broken or slipped off on the shifter itself. ---
**Author:** ![malachilower\_187160](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@malachilower\_187160](https://community.cartalk.com/u/malachilower_187160)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2023, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/13 "2023-10-08T17:51:35Z")
I can put it in neutral and start it, and put it in drive. but I can’t put it in park, first or second. the options i have is down (reverse) middle (neutral) and up (drive). ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2023, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/14 "2023-10-08T22:31:37Z")
> [@malachilower\_187160](#): > > turn signal codes went away with a chargedish battery > [@malachilower\_187160](#): > > I can put it in neutral and start it, You seem to be making good progress. Good for you. The problem with getting the lever into the other positions might be that you just don’t have good enough access to the lever to apply the needed torque to move it. That’s what the (presumably non-functional) cable is for. It’s possible of course the problem is the transmission innards are broken, and that has prevented the lever from rotating to certain positions, which in turn broke the cable somewhere between the passenger compartment and the transmission. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 1:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/15 "2023-10-09T01:28:36Z")
Remove the shift cable from the trans lever and see what happens, Park normally will be hardest to move into by hand, as it has to overcome more of the valve body detent ball moving over a larger area of the rooster comb, it is what you feel moving from gear to gear to keep the transmission from popping out of gear or Park and sometimes it even has to travel further on the comb to engage park, as well as you are engaging the Parking pawl… The cable being broke or gear shifter could be stopping your complete movement with the cable still attached… If the shift lever still doesn’t move through all gears as normal with the cable disconnected, then you have something internal damaged… ---
**Author:** ![malachilower\_187160](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@malachilower\_187160](https://community.cartalk.com/u/malachilower_187160)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 9:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/16 "2023-10-17T21:01:41Z")
It turns out that the cable became de-attached from the shifter. A few zip ties later and it shifts no problem. I put 2 around the cable ‘arm’ and 2 around the shifter “arm”. put a bunch of zip ties threaded into those loops and it’s fixed ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 9:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/17 "2023-10-17T21:04:06Z")
![4db336ed1fe3517524d8f5134987db63](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/c/2/c205e64eedcdaaca75a6edaaecc7c6834465d732.jpeg) Tester ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 9:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2006-ford-focus-se-stuck-in-reverse/193273/18 "2023-10-17T21:30:45Z")
> [@malachilower\_187160](#): > > it’s fixed Good for your for sticking with it and getting to the crux of the problem. Can’t speak to the robustness of your solution, but like said above, if it is fixed, it is fixed. At least for now. Just curious, do you know the fundamental problem that caused the cable to become de-attached? that sort of info is helpful to others here having similar problems.