This morning, when pulling into a parking spot, I went over the parking block. It wasn’t too large, and I immediately reversed and pulled back out and parked. I turned the car off, but then couldn’t take the key out of the ignition, so I attempted to turn the car back on the the engine wouldn’t even turn over, I couldn’t move the key from the position it was in at all. There doesn’t seem to be anything leaking, so help would be much appreciated. I have a family member checking it out later today when he gets a chance but I would like to get all the information I can.
Post a pic of where car is in relation to block
I’d bet you damaged your transmission position sensor.
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It would also be helpful to know the model year of this Cougar.
The 1967-1997 models were RWD. The 1998-2002 models were FWD, and were much different from the older ones. The type and amount of damage could vary, depending on the configuration of the car.
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I think lion9car is on the right track. On a dark and rainy night after 12 hours on the job, I drove over a curb at a convieniece store. When I got home and inspected the front of my riviera, there was a heavy steel plate underneath just for such mishaps. Just have to crawl under and take a look. Then you can decide whether to tow or not.
it’s possible that your car’s ignition cylinder or ignition switch could be damaged from going over the parking block. It’s also possible that there’s a problem with the transmission or the starter. If the key won’t turn or won’t come out, it could be an issue with the lock cylinder or the shift linkage. It’s great that you have a family member checking it out later today - they might be able to provide a more specific diagnosis. If not, it might be a good idea to take your car to a trusted mechanic to get it looked at.
This style is exactly like a ChatGPT generated answer!
Noticed this on the 2012 Ford Fusion Fix Or Repair Daily project. They put the transmission an inch below the subframe. So it gets hit first. Not only that, but there is a drain plug on the bottom waiting to get busted off.
How, exactly?
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ChatGPT doesn’t have understanding …
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Like 60 min last night. Artificial intelligence. Has all the answers. Ask it if Russia should invade Ukraine. And why? Still trying to figure out if Russia is justified.
You don’t mean take it, you mean tow it. The clues are the ignition switch unless the concrete came up through the floor and hit the dash.
I have to say , this is indeed a mystery. The symptoms aren’t at all what I’d expect for that situation. It seems like the result would be either no symptoms, visible cosmetic damage to the car’s lower front end, damage to cooling system, oil pan, or transmission pan. With nothing leaking, it will be interesting to find out what’s causing the weird symptoms. It’s possible of course the symptoms are just a coincidence, unrelated to curb, would have happened anyway.
The only thing I could possibly imagine that would cause the symptoms would be a battery or alternator wire got damaged. But those wires are critical to the car’s operation and aren’t usually run low to the ground.
Some cars, maybe all, you have to have the car in park to pull the key out. Also has to be in park or neutral to start it. So if the linkage was bent or broken or disconnected, that could account for both. Or maybe there is a connection or something that does the same thing.
That’s a pretty good possible explanation. Maybe the transmission got nudged, not enough to cause a leak, but enough to change the linkage between the gearshift lever and the actual transmission gear shift inputs.
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