In my '01 VDP my gearshift will move about freely without applying the brake. My brake switch is a few months old. I have no starting problems in Park or neutral. I think my gearshift interlock has gone bad. I’ve found a couple of them on EBay. How do I remove and replace? I’ve had it dismantled far enough to see the selenoid and I know from pictures of shifters on eBay where the two mounting bolts are located, but that’s all I know. Any other tricks, spring loaded flying pieces or other unknown things to know about? I’ve searched around and have not found a tutorial on this.
When I worked at the Jaguar dealer in the 1990s and 2000s I replaced DOZENS of selector lever plastic housings from used car dealers that obtained the cars from car auction lots. The batteries would drain from sitting for weeks/months and instead of using the plastic torx screw ‘park-lock’ release, the ‘lot-jockies’ learned to use a sudden forceful JERK on the lever to break the plastic housing. (if you pull back FAST AND HARD on the selector lever, you WILL break the housing and sometimes bend the lever)
The lever would then move anywhere you wanted, anytime you wanted. I replaced many of them in warranty even though it was well known that it was intentionally destroyed and not a faulty part.
Sometimes people intentionally removed the ‘park-lock’ mechanism.
Pull the selector lever console trim and look at the housing as well as the lock solenoid itself.
I remember that story from a post you replied to a while back. I’ve read many posts on this trying to figure it out. I’ve opened it up far enough to see the micro switches(j gate out). I just don’t know what the aft end of the interlock selenoid looks like and if there is a trick to putting a new one back in. I don’t think I want to lift the linkage mechanism out of there and not be able to get it back in. Can I do this from the top after removing the radio for more room?
You might need to remove the entire center console assy for access. I’m sure the procedure is in JTIS and I do remember having to learn how to remove some of the cabin trim when I attended the intro to the XJ8 sedan training from Jaguar.
Sometimes you just need to start digging and put a pile of parts outside of the cabin.
HINT… When searching JTIS, look for the first year of production for common R&R procedures. Subsequent MYs might not have the info because there was no change for later cars. (first MY for the US X308 was 1998)
I have an illustrated pdf copy of the procedure. I can’t recall the original poster of the pdf but I am sure he will be ok with sharing it again.
PM me and I will send a copy.
My interlock is starting to ‘stick’, especially on cool/cold mornings. I would really prefer to simply remove it. (I’m not among the 'lowest common denominator such devices were invented to protect us from, and always enjoy regaining some of the freedom we used to enjoy before certain ‘safety features’ were deemed “necessary”.)
My question for those who have ventured that far is: How do I remove the J-gate housing to gain access to the mechanism without doing harm to anything so I cannot put it all back together properly? I assumed that removing the small, plastic torx bolt would allow me to do that, but alas…
Prying on it is giving me cause to worry about breaking clips – or worse. How do I gain the access I need to the interlock solenoid?
