Automatic transmission shift control cable for the 2003-2004 Lincoln Town Car with the 4R70W or 4R75E automatic. Replaces Ford 3W1Z-7E395-AB.
If the gear indicator on your 2003 or 2004 Lincoln Town Car no longer matches the gear the car is actually in, the shifter feels loose or vague, the car will not crank in Park, or the column lever moves with no change in gear, the shift cable is a prime suspect. This is the column shift control cable for the 4.6L Town Car with the 4R70W or 4R75E four-speed automatic, replacing Ford 3W1Z-7E395-AB. It comes as a complete cable with both end fittings.
The Town Car uses a column shifter, so there is no rod linkage between your hand and the transmission. The cable runs from the base of the steering column, through the firewall and down to the manual lever on the side of the transmission. That lever turns the manual valve inside the valve body and also turns the transmission range sensor, which tells the PCM and the cluster which position you selected and only allows cranking in Park or Neutral. If the cable stretches, kinks or its end fitting wears, the lever stops landing in the detent the column is pointing at. The 2003 owner guide also describes the brake-shift interlock, which keeps the lever locked in Park until you press the brake with the key on; that is a separate system, but it is worth knowing when you sort out a lever that will not move.
Have a helper move the column lever while you watch the manual lever on the transmission. If the transmission lever does not move, or moves late, check the cable end first. On many Fords the plastic bushing where the cable snaps onto the lever dries out and crumbles, and Ford has recalled other models for exactly that bushing failure causing a lever-to-gear mismatch. If the bushing is solid and the cable is kinked, frayed or binding in its housing, replace the cable. A misadjusted or failing range sensor can cause no-start and indicator faults too, so rule it out. Our Crown Victoria shift problems guide covers the same 4.6L platform, and the 4R70W harsh shift causes guide helps separate a linkage problem from a true transmission fault.
Ford's parts catalog lists 3W1Z-7E395-AB for the 2003-2004 Lincoln Town Car with the 4.6L V8 and the four-speed automatic, coded as both 4R70W and 4R75E depending on build. The same catalog lists it for the 2003-2004 Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis, and shows that it replaces 3W1Z-7E395-AA. Ford catalogs this number for the 2003-2004 model years only, so do not assume it fits a Town Car from other years. Match the number on your old cable, or send us your year and VIN. Other parts for this transmission are in our 4R70W parts collection.
| Fits | Lincoln Town Car 2003-2004 with 4R70W or 4R75E automatic |
| Replaces | 3W1Z-7E395-AB |
| Type | Column shift control cable |
| Weight | 11.6 oz |
Ford lists this cable for 2003-2004 only. For other years, match the number on your old cable or send us your year and VIN.
Ford's catalog lists 3W1Z-7E395-AB for the 2003-2004 Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis 4.6L as well. Match your old cable number to be sure.
Usually it is the cable or the bushing at the transmission lever. Set the parking brake and do not drive it until the linkage is repaired.
The range sensor is not seeing Park because the transmission lever is not fully in Park. A stretched cable, worn bushing or misadjusted range sensor can all cause it.
Yes. Lock the adjuster with both the column lever and the transmission in Park, then check that every position lines up with the indicator.
