Gearshift lever in the XJ6 is stuck in Park. Removed the console
trim thinking it was lack of lubrication again. But doesn’t seem to
be. There’s a white plastic block along the right side, apparently
there to guide the lever, that refuses to move. If you move the
lever to the left out of the block it moves easily. It was working
easily when I drove it a couple of weeks ago, but now won’t move
and I don’t want to force it and break something. Could the problem
be in the linkage under the car instead of in the console where I
thought?
Lee Murray–
Lee Murray '95 XJS 4.0 Convertible '96 XJ6
Sherburne, NY, United States
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In reply to a message from LeRoy Murray sent Fri 11 Apr 2008:
Dear Sir
the gearbox is locked due to the safety solinoid not opening, is
there a small socket shaped hole to the upper left of the gear
lever looks like a torx screww, if so remove and insert a blunt
rod, you will be able to over ride the lock system.
Cause of this is so simple you will kick yourself, battery or the
break light switch, note this also runs the brake lights and the
cruse control, so if these do not work that is the cause, located
up behind the brake pedel, pain to get to, remove clean with switch
clean several times blow out with air line reconnect wiring then
operate switch by hand if you hear click from gearbox and the gear
lever moves that was the problem.
Regards–
The original message included these comments:
Gearshift lever in the XJ6 is stuck in Park. Removed the console
In reply to a message from Daimler 91 sent Fri 11 Apr 2008:
Thanks for the help, but that’s not it. I have the trim off around
the shift lever and can look right down into the linkage. There is
a square piece of metal that drops down when you step on the brake,
it’s also what your rod or in my case screwdriver pushes down to
release the shift lever through the hole in the console you
mentioned. It moves up and down freely every time I step on and off
the brake. I should also have been clearer, in this case the shift
lever moves about a quarter inch, but no more, with the brake
pressed down, it’s not locked solid as it is with your foot off the
brake.
I’m thinking it must be in the cable on the transmission??? You
really can’t see much of what’s under the left side console where
the linkage appears to connect to whatever goes down to the
transmission.
Lee Murray–
The original message included these comments:
the gearbox is locked due to the safety solinoid not opening, is
there a small socket shaped hole to the upper left of the gear
lever looks like a torx screww, if so remove and insert a blunt
rod, you will be able to over ride the lock system.
Cause of this is so simple you will kick yourself, battery or the
break light switch, note this also runs the brake lights and the
cruse control, so if these do not work that is the cause, located
up behind the brake pedel, pain to get to, remove clean with switch
clean several times blow out with air line reconnect wiring then
operate switch by hand if you hear click from gearbox and the gear
lever moves that was the problem.
In reply to a message from LeRoy Murray sent Fri 18 Apr 2008:
Several years ago I complained about a similar issue to my mechanic
who adjusted a cable? of some type. It didn’t seem to do much good
since I still have periodic problems. Now that I read the earlier
reply, I will try to clean the brake pedal switch at some point
soon.
I just wanted to bring to your attention that their are two
possible root causes at play in this situation.–
Dave J 1996 XJ6 (Canada)
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In reply to a message from LeRoy Murray sent Fri 18 Apr 2008:
Damm things are never that easy, right if you look at the right
side of the gear lever there is a cable attached to the lever
system if you just undo this connection from the shift arm, remove
cable end and then try to move the lever if it does the same it is
the shift if not it is the cable. One thing have you pushed down
using the rod while pressing the brake pedal in case the soleniod
is not fully releaseing the interlock?
I am breaking a 94 V12 at present listed on free ads have shift but
cable my be different due to box type. contact if I can be off help–
The original message included these comments:
mentioned. It moves up and down freely every time I step on and off
the brake. I should also have been clearer, in this case the shift
lever moves about a quarter inch, but no more, with the brake
pressed down, it’s not locked solid as it is with your foot off the
In reply to a message from Daimler 91 sent Fri 18 Apr 2008:
I don’t know if the X300 and X308 are the same but, my X308 had the
stuck in P problem. The brake switch was working perfectly and the
interlock solenoid tested good. On stripping everything out, it
was discovered that a piece of metal had broken off the side of the
selector shaft at the bottom. This ‘‘bulge,’’ that had broken off,
makes contact with an actuator that in turn operates the solenoid.
A new piece was soldered on so that the selector would contact the
actuator and, the problem was solved.–
The original message included these comments:
Damm things are never that easy, right if you look at the right
side of the gear lever there is a cable attached to the lever
system if you just undo this connection from the shift arm, remove
cable end and then try to move the lever if it does the same it is
the shift if not it is the cable. One thing have you pushed down
using the rod while pressing the brake pedal in case the soleniod
is not fully releaseing the interlock?
I am breaking a 94 V12 at present listed on free ads have shift but
cable my be different due to box type. contact if I can be off help
Mick Gannon Daimler 4.0 1991 England
In reply to a message from gary breyer sent Fri 18 Apr 2008:
Well, it’s fixed. At least it was working when I closed it up for
the night and came in the house.
I took off the ski slope, so I could get a better look at the
linkage and found nothing wrong. The shift lever just wouldn’t move
more than a 1/4 inch or so. So I jacked up the car and took off the
splash shield around the linkage on the transmission, 2 10mm bolts.
It’s a tight workspace between the trans and side of the tunnel. I
tried to move the lever on the transmission bu it wouldn’t move. I
figured there’d be some play but there wasn’t. So just to see I
loosened the nut holding the cable to the lever and tried to move
the lever again and it moved about a quarter inch to the rear. Then
I got in the car, stepped on the brake and it shifted perfectly. I
put it back into park, this time the shift lever moved all the way
to the front of what I think is the neutral start switch on the
right side instead of the rear where it had been. I’m not sure what
it means, maybe it was not quite all the way in park, when I parked
it and when I moved the lever on the trans it corrected itself? I
don’t know. But, I tightened the nut on the cable, put the splash
shield back, and locked it up before it could chage it’s mind.
Tomorrow I take care of the sticking front brake as long as I
already have it jacked up and the wheel off.
Lee Murray–
The original message included these comments:
side of the gear lever there is a cable attached to the lever
system if you just undo this connection from the shift arm, remove
cable end and then try to move the lever if it does the same it is
the shift if not it is the cable. One thing have you pushed down
In reply to a message from LeRoy Murray sent Sun 20 Apr 2008:
I just made it worse. Changed the rotor and caliper and the front
brake is fixed, so after letting it down off the jack I got in the
car to move it. It was back to locked in park again. I jacked it
back up, got the jack stand in place and crawled under to see if
loosening the same nut would work again. Somehow, using a 4’’ 10mm
wrench, I snapped off the nut and end of the stud that connects the
cable to the lever on the side of the transmission. So I guess now
I start shopping for a cable, hope it’s not going to be the bitch
to change, that I suspect it’s going to be.
Lee Murray–
The original message included these comments:
Well, it’s fixed. At least it was working when I closed it up for
the night and came in the house.
splash shield around the linkage on the transmission, 2 10mm bolts.
It’s a tight workspace between the trans and side of the tunnel. I
tried to move the lever on the transmission bu it wouldn’t move. I
figured there’d be some play but there wasn’t. So just to see I
loosened the nut holding the cable to the lever and tried to move
the lever again and it moved about a quarter inch to the rear. Then
I got in the car, stepped on the brake and it shifted perfectly. I
put it back into park, this time the shift lever moved all the way
to the front of what I think is the neutral start switch on the
Another aggravation.
From time to time the shift lever cannot be moved out of Park.
Can take 10 seconds or 10 minutes of effort to shift it.
There is no great rhyme or reason to this, it happens once or twice a
month and might be a single event, or drag on for 2 or 3 days.
By sheer good luck never happened so far in a situation where I get a
few hundred drivers lined up behind.
It is suggested the brake switch is probably faulty.
I have a CD with all the workshop manual info, but nowhere is this
switch mentioned.
While under the dash looking for the OBD connector I noticed the brake
foot pedal at full depression hit what looked like a switch covered in
a rubber boot.
Am I on the right track here ?
If so does a squirt of a suitable liquid usually fix it, or is it
totally sealed ?
Any clues welcome.
One day I might even talk about the times the unbelievably complicated
security system locks me out of the car.
Richard Dowling, Melbourne, Australia.
1979 XJ-S coupe + HE V12 + 5 speed, 1988 XJ-S V12 convertible, 2003 XJ350
In reply to a message from Richard Dowling sent Mon 7 Feb 2011:
Richard,
If the brake lights are not working on x300’s the signal is not
sent to the gearshift lever latch to disengage. This is done to
ensure that the driver has the footbrake on when shifting gears.
The only way the system ‘knows’ you have the brake depressed is for
the lights to be on. It is most likely that your brake light switch
is working only intermittently, although if both bulbs are blown
the same problem will result.
In reply to a message from Jags on gas sent Mon 7 Feb 2011:
hi just to the left of the gear shift is a black blastic plug, you
can unscrew it with a screw driver. then take a pencil, and push it
in the hole straight down. that will release the lever manually.
and tha plastic button you are talikng about is under the gas
pedal. joe–
jaguarjoe 54 XK 120 rdstr 1961 MKIX 94 XJ6
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In reply to a message from pajtas sent Mon 7 Feb 2011:
Yes Joe,
You are quite right. There is an emergency gear shift release,
although I’d prefer not to drive around not knowing whether my
brake lights are working or not, having cheated the system put in
place to prevent just that.
Regards
Steve–
The original message included these comments:
In reply to a message from Jags on gas sent Mon 7 Feb 2011:
hi just to the left of the gear shift is a black blastic plug, you
can unscrew it with a screw driver. then take a pencil, and push it
in the hole straight down. that will release the lever manually.
and tha plastic button you are talikng about is under the gas
pedal. joe
In reply to a message from Jags on gas sent Mon 7 Feb 2011:
Hi, unless I missed something in the original post it does
indeed sound like you may have a failing shift lock
microswitch. This has cropped up numerous times on the
forum. When you press the brake you hear a little ‘‘tick’’
where the shift lock withdraws to allow the shift knob to
move out of the Park position. This switch has been known to
fail.
Do you hear the ‘‘tick’’ sound when you press the brake pedal?
If the brake lights are indeed working normally, this is
what I’d be looking for in terms of intermittent failure
that prevents you from putting the car in gear. This switch
is inside the center console. You’d need to remove the
leather boot around the gear knob and probably the ski slope
to get at it. I don’t have direct experience with that
little switch so I can’t be more specific than that, but the
archives are bound to have voluminous info…–
In reply to a message from andyman32 sent Mon 7 Feb 2011:
The not in park microswitch is the thing that signals the brake
interlock solenoid to open up and stay open until the lever goes
back into park. This switch can fail and does. It can be replaced
but comes attached to the shifter plate which is the side of the
shifter mechanism. Some folks have drilled out the tiny rivets and
replaced the switch with one from Radio Shack. The brake switch can
also cause the problem, but they seldom fail. You’ll know if it’s
bad…no brake lights.–
Brian Caro 05 XJ8 4.2, 06 XKR 4.2, 04 Audi A6 3.0
Newport News, VA, United States
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In reply to a message from Richard Dowling sent Mon 7 Feb 2011:
Richard,
You’re welcome. I’m sure that you’ll get there whatever the problem
is. I just re-read and think there may be some confusion between
the ‘X300’ tile of this thread although you may be writing about an
X350. I’m pretty sure (but not 100%) that most of what I wrote
still applies, apart from the bulbs part!
Regards
Steve–
The original message included these comments:
Thanks for info Steve.
Looks like the switch I saw under the pedal is the thing to check.
Was not sure if that was for Park interlock, or brake light, or both.
Always the chance Jag used Bluetooth transmitter on the pedal to activate the brake lights.
Richard Dowling, Melbourne, Australia.
1979 XJ-S coupe + HE V12 + 5 speed, 1988 XJ-S V12 convertible, 2003 XJ350
Yes, a 2003 XJ350.
The problem has been suggested as a microswitch on the Park inhibit solenoid.
That makes sense, and will be a cheap fix once I get to it.
I have a Jaguar CD for this car with quite a bit of info on repairs etc.
With luck it will show how to take up the console panel around the gear shift and find the microswitch.
If anybody knows the secret of getting the panel off already, please tell.
Richard Dowling, Melbourne, Australia.
1979 XJ-S coupe + HE V12 + 5 speed, 1988 XJ-S V12 convertible, 2003 XJ350 3.5L V8
In reply to a message from Richard Dowling sent Wed 23 Feb 2011:
OK Richard.
My car is a 2004 XJ8 3.5. The battery had gone flat after long
Winter storage. Although I have recovered this situation before
(reset the handbake and all that) there is just no way I can get
this car into gear, although I can operate the handbrake. BTW, the
first thing I checked is that the brake lights are all working (a
la X300) and they are. I have been in with Gendan Autoenginuity and
cleared fault codes with clear indication that the diagnosic
process is working, but to no avail. I srongly suspect that having
to manually open the door with a flat battery has really upset the
alarm/immobilisation systems but I have not had this problem before.
Now, if the system is similar to the X300/308, the ‘not in park’
switch only comes into play when you shift from ‘P’, which I cannot
do, so that particular switch may not be at fault. I can hear some
relay or other operating behind the RHS of the dash as I try to
shift out of park and assume (only) that the not in park switch is
doing its job as the stick moves a little.
Sadly we have lost the emergency removable screw on X350’s so I
have the gearshift surrounding trim removed for a good old root
around, see where the latch is. I ran out of time, conversions
beckon, so it may not be until the weekend that I get back to it.
If all else fails I have a conversion customer who works high level
in Jaguar and he may be able to help.
The gearshift surround panel is easily removed by sliding a plastic
trim removal tool under the outer edge between it and the wood trim
and prising it upward. All that holds it down are some tongues
going into spring clips (4 off). If this gives you a problem I’ll
send you a pic.
When I find the solution to my problem I will pass it on.
At 05:39 AM 24/02/11, you wrote:>In reply to a message from Richard Dowling sent Wed 23 Feb 2011:
OK Richard.
My car is a 2004 XJ8 3.5. The battery had gone flat after long
Winter storage. Although I have recovered this situation before
(reset the handbake and all that) there is just no way I can get
this car into gear, although I can operate the handbrake. BTW, the
first thing I checked is that the brake lights are all working (a
la X300) and they are. I have been in with Gendan Autoenginuity and
cleared fault codes with clear indication that the diagnosic
process is working, but to no avail. I srongly suspect that having
to manually open the door with a flat battery has really upset the
alarm/immobilisation systems but I have not had this problem before.
Now, if the system is similar to the X300/308, the ‘not in park’
switch only comes into play when you shift from ‘P’, which I cannot
do, so that particular switch may not be at fault. I can hear some
relay or other operating behind the RHS of the dash as I try to
shift out of park and assume (only) that the not in park switch is
doing its job as the stick moves a little.
Sadly we have lost the emergency removable screw on X350’s so I
have the gearshift surrounding trim removed for a good old root
around, see where the latch is. I ran out of time, conversions
beckon, so it may not be until the weekend that I get back to it.
If all else fails I have a conversion customer who works high level
in Jaguar and he may be able to help.
The gearshift surround panel is easily removed by sliding a plastic
trim removal tool under the outer edge between it and the wood trim
and prising it upward. All that holds it down are some tongues
going into spring clips (4 off). If this gives you a problem I’ll
send you a pic.
When I find the solution to my problem I will pass it on.