Lincoln Continental Executive Series will not go into drive or any other gear

[JesysChristHelp]

Please help my Lincoln Continental Executive Series will not go into drive or any other gear. I have checked the cable from the drive stick to the transmission and it's Okay. What else should I check for or repair?

[magicmerlin]

Sounds like you should try a U.S. based web site for help. This is U.K. (51st state) based.

[Clanad]

While pressing your brake pedal have someone check to see if your brake lights in the rear come one. There's a switch in this system called a brake-on switch that won't let you shift the car from Park to Drive (or Reverse) without the brake being applied. If the switch has failed it could cause your symptom and the brake lights will not illuminate. They are inexpensive and easily replace, if you know where it's located on your model Lincoln. (I'm in the U.S., by the way, but frequent this site as do other Yanks).

[Euroanchor]

Regardless of whether you post on a UK or US site, the answer would be the same,

Usually there is a safety gate on auto's that prevent them being put into drive without the footbrake being applied, it could be that this is at fault. A gate usually closes when you put the car into park, and I suspect this is either stuck or the cable / bar that operates the release has broken. You may be able to bypass this as an emergency repair.

[TWR]

Have you anything within the gate that is obstrucing the move? that would be the first area to check.