Gear selector sticks in park

[oakebury]

I have a 2002 S Type R 53,000 miles the gear selector occassionally sticks in P with the light flashing switching the engine off moving the selector away from Park then returning to park seems to cure the problem as after engine start the select will move to R N or D.

Again occassionally the car will not change up from First or second, untill the selector is moved to the left and manual selections are made, returning to D the gearbox changes normally untill the next time this occurs. No warning lights are annunciated whilst this is happening.

A new gear box was fitted a while ago.

Any help and advice would be appreciated.

Kindest Regards

Mike H

[J44EAG]

Hello Mike.

My initial thought was that you might have a brake pedal switch playing up. To get the car out of park, as you know it is necessary to apply the footbrake.

Having then read you had a gearbox job done and that you could tease things by working the selector lever, leads me to think that the selector rotary switch on the gearbox or the cable simply need a little adjustment.

The fault you describe is fairly classic and not unknown. Your gearbox guys should be able to fix this with little fuss or expense. The problem does appear to me to be centred around the selector and the switch.

I`d be suprised if it was too much of a problem. I`ve had a similar situation myself in the past.

Kind regards.

Mike Kennedy. S-type Co-ordinator

[oakebury]

Hi Mike

Thanks again for your prompt reply,the car is in for a service on Monday and the brake and gearbox problems will be looked at. i will keep you posted.

Kindest Regards

Mike H

[jeff1954]

Hi Guys.
Just out of curiosity if the brake pedal switch does malfunction is there someway of overriding it.
I'm shure i've read somewhere that there is small hole that you can put a screw driver in to release the lock, Allthough it might not have been on an S Type.

Jeff.

[J44EAG]

If there is a slot or hole to release the mechanism in an emergency, I`m not aware of it.

If you do ever find that you cannot get the selector out of "Park" even with your foot on the brake pedal, DO NOT force the issue. There is a non replaceable diamond shaped plastic unit within the selector that breaks easily if excess force is applied to the selector unit. Break that part and you will have to fit a complete new or second hand selector quadrant.

Most faults where the selector is seeming jammed in Park, are usually down to the brake pedal switch malfunctioning.

Mike

[jeff1954]

Hi Mike.

I've just been browsing through the XK forum, and its on there where I've seen
the post about releasing the gear shift thats stuck in park.

Jeff.

[J44EAG]

Unless someone knows otherwise, I fear the facility is not present on an S-type.

Removal of the J-gate interior cover plate probably reveal the switch, but quite how one can over ride it is a question we have not been able to answer. Does anyone know the answer?

Mike