But does it test good in a real game situation? If it's not registering in the down position, then it might say that. And it might pop it up at diffren't times anyway, like when you lock a ball or start new ball etc.

Make sure to do it test mode with PF down and hit it with a ball.

Hmm....was it recently "dickered" with? I assume since last week you've played it and activated it enough that it would clear the error if something had changed.
Maybe something I'm missing also...anyone?

It should almost always be up, unless the lock is lit or arrow in that lane is lit.
When you knock it down, lock lights.
Skydive mode it will open.

Probably clear itself after some playing.

Check for loose wire on opto. My game was acting funny cause loose wire on opto.

What ROM are you running? There are some fixes in a few revisions of software - not sure if that's your problem or not... but it sounds familiar, so I'm wondering if that's the problem?

If you need an updated ROM, send me a PM and I can get you fixed up.

No Fear Pinball Software Revision Information

U6: Version 2.3
2.3 A Checksum: CC23
2.3 X Checksum: B023
Date: September 14, 1995

Changes from revision 2.2:

Improved the ball search logic to better compensate for a
broken switch at the right popper.

Changed the Skill Shot choice to start after the plunge,
not before. This keeps the choice from being available
until the ball actually arrives at the shooter.

Fixed a bug where choosing LOCK from the skill shot would
remove the 3rd lit lock if the player already had it lit.

Fixed score histogram labels.

U6: Version 2.2
2.2 A Checksum: A622
2.2 X Checksum: 8122
Date: September 14, 1995

Changes from revision 2.0:

Fixed a bug where the state of the errors for the optos
being stuck and the drop target being flakey were not
being cleared at factory reset, so the user could get
erroneous errors randomly, based on the state of the CMOS
RAM before the reset.

Fixed a bug in the user-error report where line 2 of
of the error message was not being cleared properly.
This would cause messages such as "check drop target,
not set" instead of just having "check drop target"

U6: Version 2.0
2.0 A Checksum: C520
2.0 X Checksum: 9F20
Date: June 8, 1995

Changes from revision 1.1:

The game now checks the ramp magnet optos to see if any are stuck
closed at initialization. If so, they are considered to be
disabled until the next powerup (or test mode) that sees them
un-stuck.

Added user report messages for stuck and disabled magnet optos.

Changed broken switch logic on drop target to make sure
that it does not try to change the position of the drop
target unnecessarily; thus allowing the player to get
to the shot behind it more easily. This then allows
locks to be lit much easier when the drop target is broken.

Added logic to watch the drop target for 15 games to make sure
that is is lighting locks. Gives a message if 15 games go by
without a lock.

Corrected the updating of the buy-in button lamp to make sure it
is updated whenever credits are added. Before, it would not start
blinking until the player had put in MORE than the required credits
for buying in.

Allowed the buy-in button to enter initials during the high score
to date entry screen.

U6: Version 1.1
1.1 A Checksum: 0311
1.1 X Checksum: DD11
Date: May 15, 1995

Changes from revision 1.0:

Added French translations.

Changed the default adjustment for Raceway Start to AUTO.

Change the default Raceway Holdover Difficulty to HARD.

Changed the auto-percentage of Raceways to start with 2 lit
instead of 3 by default.

Implemented the "dice match" feature. Added an adjustment
to use the old match display.

Fixed a glitch in the multiball start display.

U6: Version 1.0
1.0 A Checksum: 1B10
1.0 X Checksum: FB10
Date: May 3, 1995

This is the release of software for production.

This version works with sound revision 1.0:

U2: Checksum: 6B00
U3: Checksum: 6700
U4: Checksum: D000
U5: Checksum: 2700
U6: Checksum: B200
U7: Checksum: C700

Changes from revision 0.8:

Added German translations.

Fixed a bug in the drop target updater which would allow
the drop target to stay in the "wrong" state if it was
told to change while it was already busy trying to change.

Changed track feature to allow laps during the grace
period of nascar - the most obvious result of this is that
the nascar lamps will be properly updated at the end of
NASCAR mode.

Drop target now only makes a sound effect when it is dropped
by the player.

Added adjustment ofr attract mode sounds and speech.

Added broken switch logic for right ramp, underground lockup,
right/left loop switches and right return lane.

Trough test now makes sure the drop target is down at the
beginning of the test.

Added two score fonts to the system to accomodate a 10 billion
single player score and a 10 billion multi-player "player up" score.

Increased flipper Skill Shot to 50 million.

Fixed "match" text to fit on screen.

Added a bunch of lamp, display and sound effects.

Ball search is now held off during video mode.

Fixed up the auto-plunger to correctly check game over conditions.

U6: Version 0.8
0.8 A Checksum: 8208
0.8 X Checksum: 6708
Date: April 17, 1995

This is the release of software for production of sample games.

I had a similar problem and it was a diode soldered in the wrong direction or wrong spot , be sure it is on Correctly. Took me and 3 other people to find it.

Here's a video I just took so you can see how the drop target behaves when powering the game on, starting a game and then choosing lock ball. Bit of a glare because I left the glass on, but you can see it.

I would do a factory reset if I were you.

Is the drop target pushing the switch down when the target is down? My No Fear was missing the tab on the switch for the drop target so when the target dropped it wasnt pushing the switch down, therefore it wouldn't reset when it was supposed to.