Sorry to bring up the old american car here, but I know of no other forum that even approaches the expertise here.

The car is my wife's 99 Mercury Cougar, with 39k on the clock. It's difficult to depress the shift button to move the car into gear. It's almost as if the steering lock is in place, and, in fact, I can hear a clicking sound from behind the steering wheel. After a few times, the button depresses and the car operates normally. I'm guessing that there is an issue with the linkage between the steering lock and the shift release button. Does anyone know about the mechanics behind this? Anyone ever heard of this type of problem before? I'm planning on bringing the car into the shop next week, but I don't want my wife stranded.


Thanks,
Dave