1996 FORD TAURUS — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SELECTOR (ALSO CALLED PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH) SHORTS INTERNALLY AND CAUSES THE VARIABLY ASSISTED STEERING TO MALFUNCTION (STOP ASSISTING ENTIRELY). DATE OF INCIDENT MAY NOT BE EXACT. WHILE TURNING RIGHT AT LOW SPEED INTO AN ALLEY POWER STEERING FAILED MOMENTARILY CAUSING FRONT WHEEL TO JUMP THE OPPOSITE CURB ONTO THE SIDEWALK AND DAMAGE WHEEL COVER. TSB # 96255 MAY DESCRIBE PROBLEM, BUT I'M NOT SURE. FORD DEALERSHIP PULLED UP A REPORT ON THIS FOR ME. REPORT STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SELECTOR MAY SHORT INTERNALLY AND CAUSE THE POWER STEERING ASSIST TO BE REDUCED (ELIMINATED), POWER WINDOWS TO FAIL, AND STEREO TO TEMPORARILY FAIL. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND SPORADIC, BUT SINCE THE STEERING IS ADVERSELY AFFECTED THIS PROBLEM CONSTITUTES A CLEAR SAFETY HAZARD. I FEEL THAT I WAS LUCKY AS THERE WAS NOBODY/NOTHING TO HIT AND THAT ALL I HAD DAMAGED WAS A WHEEL COVER.