Shift Linkage Check
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2006 Mercury Montego, 2006 Ford Freestyle, and 2006 Ford Five Hundred. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Check for a misadjustment in shift linkage by matching the detents in the transmission range selector lever with those in the transmission. If they match, the misadjustment is in the indicator. Do not adjust the shift linkage.
Hydraulic leakage at the manual control valve can cause delay in engagements and/or variator slipping while operating, if the linkage is not correctly adjusted.