Focus Auto Transmission Stuck in Park after Service

[Rally Pack 2000]

Took my MK2 Focus 2lt Duratec Automatic into to have is rego check and got them to service it at the same time. But they stuffed everything, didnt even top up the coolant. It drove into their workshop fine. They changed the oil and the gasket on the auto transmission pan then returned it to the front carpark from the workshop and it wouldn’t come out of Park again without having to pop open the manual release tab and stick a pen in it. Ever since I have been trying to put it back the way it was before they ruined it. Ive changed the brake switches and checked the solenoid that lets you get it out of park when you put your foot on the brake. Is there anything they may have touched or damaged when taking the Auto Transmission pan off that keeps locking it into park giving me an Auto Transmission malfunction warning? Even a separate home mechanic I called to check it out is at a loss to figure out what was done to it to cause this? Any suggestions would be most welcome

[kev the rev]

2 hours ago, Rally Pack 2000 said:

Took my MK2 Focus 2lt Duratec Automatic into to have is rego check and got them to service it at the same time. But they stuffed everything, didnt even top up the coolant. It drove into their workshop fine. They changed the oil and the gasket on the auto transmission pan then returned it to the front carpark from the workshop and it wouldn’t come out of Park again without having to pop open the manual release tab and stick a pen in it. Ever since I have been trying to put it back the way it was before they ruined it. Ive changed the brake switches and checked the solenoid that lets you get it out of park when you put your foot on the brake. Is there anything they may have touched or damaged when taking the Auto Transmission pan off that keeps locking it into park giving me an Auto Transmission malfunction warning? Even a separate home mechanic I called to check it out is at a loss to figure out what was done to it to cause this? Any suggestions would be most welcome

if they put a new filter in the oil pan il bet they forgot the sealing o ring on the filter so ul have little pressure for the box to work

[Rally Pack 2000]

4 minutes ago, kev the rev said:

if they put a new filter in the oil pan il bet they forgot the sealing o ring on the filter so ul have little pressure for the box to work

Thats a very interesting one! They did fit a kit that had the filter and pan gasket. the kit would have come with a filter O ring but they were so dodgy and slapshot that I wouldnt be surprised if they skipped fitting the O ring

[Johnny Boy]

Connect it up to a good code reader, not a cheap one that only reads emissions codes, see what transpires.

[Johnny Boy]

If you haven't got one these are very good , and a good price.click here

[Rally Pack 2000]

7 hours ago, Johnny Boy said:

Connect it up to a good code reader, not a cheap one that only reads emissions codes, see what transpires.

The mobile mechanic guy did that but nothing came up. I dont think a 2007 Focus has very detailed diagnostics.

[Johnny Boy]

If it was a scanner that covered the transmission, and no codes were found , then its a mechanical problem. I'm not familiar with those transmissions.

Google is your friend.

[eeb43]

take the plastic surround off from around the bottom of the stick there will be a release button around usually behind the base of the selector 

[kev the rev]

On 12/05/2026 at 17:17, kev the rev said:

if they put a new filter in the oil pan il bet they forgot the sealing o ring on the filter so ul have little pressure for the box to work

like i said itl be the o ring