parking brake release during reverse

[joflewbyu2]

there must be a switch that triggers a solenoid to release the parking brake when shifted to drive on early 300a cars. why not switch this to reverse? you must pass the reverse gear to get to drive so it would release the parking brake any time the car is shifted out of park.

[gja]

Actually, mine pops the brake when moved to any position from PARK. Yet another quirk of the Merc.

[cruzer]

This is my 4th Marquis type vehicle since '91---none released the brake when going into reverse---only drive

[Zack]

Its vacuum operated and located next to the shifter under the trim plate. There is lots of room under there for modification.

[joflewbyu2]

anyone know how to get to this piece. perhaps this vacuum switch can be moved from drive to reverse.

[gja]

Hey, are you sure it's vacuum op'ed? I think it's a 12vdc solenoid. I base that on the fact there is a switch in the shift-release button that is electrical and is listed in the fuse points.

[jgc61sr2002]

Originally posted by cruzer
This is my 4th Marquis type vehicle since '91---none released the brake when going into reverse---only drive cruzer - Does your 300B have an auto parking brake release?

[cruzer]

Yes

[jaywish]

Hi Cruzer,

Not to hijack the thread but here goes.

Just for the heck of it I'm trying to track production changes in the 03 production model year. There is a thread running "A vs B" in the garage.

You have an automatic parking brake release.

Do you also have the other 300B decontent items eg. front map pockets, gas filler remote release, full size spare, under hood light, Etc.?

What is your production date?

Thanks
Jay

[MMManic]

Apologies for going off track with this thread....

Jaywish- this is the second thread where someone has mentioned the 300B not having the underhood light. I'm missing all the 300A goodies except I HAVE the underhood light. ???

[brent]

My o4 has no underhood light.
How much trouble & $ to add one.

Brent in GA

[MERCMAN]

send a PM to Carfixer, he has done that mod :o

[gohogs]

I'm pretty sure this behavior is caused by the tendency in the distant past of Ford transmissions dropping out of park for no reason into reverse. Ford's probably paranoid about the problem. It did cause some runaway cars if you left the car idling and it took off.

[vegasmarauder]

Exactly, Fords in the late sixties and into early seventies had a problem with slipping out of park and into reverse when the shift columns got a little wear in them. We had a cab driver in a 70 Torino crushed that way. I remember in the sixties Lincolns would release in reverse then. I think it was changed to drive after the problem came up. I remember we got a notice from Ford to bring in our new 71 Ford wagon to the dealer and they put a sticker on the dash that said to turn the car off when getting out of it, etc.

The brake release on the MM is vacuum operated by a switch on the right side of the floor shifter. See my previous how-to post and the gallery on what it looks like and how to re-content this item. If you took a dremel or similar you could ream out the switch mounting holes and make it apply vacuum in reverse instead of drive. It may take a little big of engineering, but it would be possible.