External Controls - 5R55S: Notes
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2006 Mercury Mountaineer and 2006 Ford Explorer. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The transmission selector lever cable transfers the transmission operating mode from the selector lever to the transmission. The indicated position of the selector lever is transferred to the transmission through the selector lever linkage, then to the selector lever cable and bracket and down to the manual control lever on the transmission.