hi, don't know really how to explain this but i'll try. i have a automatic trans and when i go to start the car with it being in neutral or park, sometimes it won't start, have to play around with the shifter handle and then maybe after a few tries working it back and forth it will start, any one kinow what the problem might be?, thanks jerry

 

What do you mean it won't start? Won't crank over or will crank but not fire up?

If it won't crank it could be:

The neutral safety switch is going out or not attached properly. It's a switch that verifies the vehicle is indeed in Neutral or park before allowing the car to start. Since you didn't give any details on the year of your stang, i can't tell you exactly where it's located but, it's normally on the transmission housing and is connected inline with the trans-shift cable.

Or it could be an ignition switch problem.

 

hi, like i said, i wasn't sure how to tell what is happening, but, i'll add, with the trans in park or neutral, i hit the key, and sometimes it starts sometimes it dosen't, could be the ignition, or it could be something with the trans, does that help any?

 

As mentioned above, it is the neutral safety switch. Probably attached to the side of the transmission also as mentioned, and likely something is loose and causing the switch to not "close" when Park or Neutral are selected.

If you post up in the Classics section here and give a few more details about your car, I'm sure those guys can give you a good description of what you're looking for and what you need to do.

 

z28, thanks for the info, half to check my shop manuals, or maybe go to the shop that worked on it last

 

Do we need to stylishly define "won't start"? iomp

 

I had a 73 Mach 1 and remember having trouble with the neutral safety switch.