The most likely cause is a misajusted or faulty neutral safety switch, or your linkage is coming loose and preventing proper indexing. Your description is how most mechanics troubleshoot a "will not crank situation". If it will not crank in Park, move the trans lever to Neutral to see if it will crank. If it does it's the switch. Your car just did the test for you and now the switch has either moved just enough to prevent starting or by your description of not staying in any gear the shifter assembly needs to be repaired. Since you have two problems combined, one starting and one being a gear selection problem, I would lean towards the shifter assembly in the console is probably loosening up. If you are mechanically inclined you can figure out the screws that need to be removed to access the shifter assembly and remove the console to inspect it. Because it has loosened up, it has affected the neutral safety switch preventing your car from cranking. I did vehicle maintenance for 27 years and I will pretty much bet that this is your problem. The neutral safety switch is screwed into the trans. Front side, just above the pan. There are two swtches that look the same, however the Nuetral safety is the one closest to the tire or outside of the car. Trans model A604 Dan the tranny man
The problem is most likely in the transfer case or the linkage. The transfer case is bolted to the rear of the transmission on that truck. The linkage could be misadjusted, there should be three distinct positions for the transfer case, Neutral, Low and High. If you suspect the linkage disconnect the linkage and manually put the transfer case in each position and try it to see if it works, if it does it's the linkage if not the problem is in the transfer case itself.
The problem could be in the gear selector or the shifter linkage. Ensure the selector is not broken. Also, make sure that the neutral safety and the brake interlock switch are working simultaneously.
Can be a linkage problem check linkage that goes form transmission to shift the vehicle
usually a linkage problem - adjust linkage that connects transmission to gear shift
It depends on the type of transmission. If it is a manual transmission, the first thing to check would be the linkage. If the linkage is not the problem, then it could be the bushings or the synchronizer. If it is an automatic transmission, then it could be a problem with the bands, though you could have debris in the valve body or a servo problem. In some cases, linkage bearings could be an issue.
and the problem is..??????? swap it for one out of a junkyard see if it cures the problem.. if not buy a new one..
Check your timing belt!
i had spirit that had the same problem i had the tranny rediult and it hasn't had a problem since.
Low fluid, broken transmission.
neutral safety switch is out of adjustment. it is located on the side of the transmission and joins with the linkage rods. could be that it is just loose. i had the same problem and that is what it was. good luck.
I've had that problem with my lebaron, I usually just start the car let it run for 2 seconds then turn the key (turn the engine off) and then I usually can get it out.
If your 2004 Eddie Bauer is stuck in neutral and won't move, it could be due to several issues. Common causes include a faulty brake switch, which prevents the shifter from moving out of neutral, or a problem with the transmission linkage. Additionally, low transmission fluid or a malfunctioning transmission can also cause this issue. It's best to have a mechanic diagnose the problem for a proper fix.