2005 XJ8L stuck in reverse.

Here's what I found.:

Shifter would not move to Park Position.

Found bolt missing where shifter cable attaches to transmission (more on this later)

Found nothing else. No broken this or that's or broken wires, burnt connectors or bad switches. Nothing!

Removed J shifter trim from around shifter and tried the little toggle on left side of shifter box. Was able to then move shifter down to "D" and across to 2-3-4- and 5 positions, but flelt like the shifter was not connected to anything. (didn't know it then, but that was a MAJOR CLUE)

Thinking that maybe the shifter cable broke at shifter, or had come loose, decided to remove center console to try and inspect right side of shifter box.

Once removed, I could see very little other then the shifter shaft which had a steel pin on it's right side about 3/4's of an inch long that wasn't connected to anything. Could not see end of cable or much of anything. But did note that there was, what looked like a white plastic (phnellic-(sp?) block about an inch long, that, because of the pin on the side of the shifter, blocked the shifter from moving up beyond the reverse position.

I couldn't see if this block had a hole in it on the other side, which the pin could fit in, but when I moved the shifter down to "D" and across to the position 5, I noted that there was now room between the pin on the shifter and the white plastic block. Wondering if the block would move, I took a screwdriver and applied pressure toward the "D" position. Well, the block moved with ease and now was in front of the pin on the shifter. I moved the shifter back to the "D" position and the pin went home in the plastic block. I then moved the shifter toward "Park" and it moved with ease also, straight to the Park position.

I could now move the shifter up and down to all positions and noted that when the shifter is in the "D" position, the white block stays there while the shifter is used in the manual 2-3-4- and five positions and going back into Drive, the pin again goes in it's little hole in the white block and moves the block and shifter to any position and finally into Park. Problem with "Stuck in Reverse" solved.

Now back to the comment (more on that later) above.

I could not see the [ in car ] end of the cable, but in some way its connected to that White Block. Maybe with just a "Push On" type of connection, or in some way screwed into the block----but who cares. Its attached to the cable and that's what matters and as the shifter is moved up and down on the automatic side, so moves the cable. When you place it in drive and then move the shifter across to the 2-3-4-5 position the white block stays in the drive slot while you play around on the other side. So----If your shifter is stuck in some position on the Park to the Drive position, folks first will tell you to check the bolts on the cable where it attaches to the transmission and this is good advice.

What must happen if the bolts are gone or very loose is, it allows the cable to move the white block out of position. The cable could now be applying a little tension on the white block and as you horse around with the shifter-- when you think you have a stuck issue-- and you move it into the #5 position, which then disengages the pin from the block, that tension on the cable moves the block out of the drive slot and when you move the shifter back to the D position, that little Pin will now be behind the block and will push the block forward to the Reverse position which is as far as it will go--possibly because the cable is now at the end of the transmissions lever movement. At least that's my theory.

My word of caution.
If your driving around and feel as if your shifter is hanging up in any of the automatic positions, you should stop as soon as possible and have those little two bolts on the transmission checked. Don't try jockeying around with the shifter or you could end up as I did....Stuck in Reverse.

Anyway, all is well with my XJ8L, so now I hope I can get the XK8 fixed next

You can PM me anytime if you have any questions about this or just post a new thread on the forum, I'll be glad to help---- if I can.

Cheers

 

So that just shows how one small problem-loose bolts- can create a larger problem. At least now we know a solution. I will be checking those bolts this weekend !!

 

Good catch - this one has been covered before (others have had the issue). The bolts are not on very tight - it should probably be a standard 'common issue' or maintenance item.

I put loctite on mine just to make sure it won't happen.

 

Thanks for the write up Chuck and closing it out. Funny, this was a common problem with Series I, II, III in the 70's and 80's as well.

Point is it makes sense to always check it when it's on the lift.

 

Neo, Ross, Sean and All:

Thanks fellows for the kodo's on the write up and glad it brought the issue to light and forced some action.

Although my car is coming up on 12 years old, it took that long and 71k miles for the bolts to come loose and one to fall out, but no telling how long they have been that way. I do have a lift and have been under that car no telling how many times and have just not noticed them-(slap my hands). Loctite is an excellent idea. My plan was to rummage around in some of my old airplane bolts and nuts and see if I can find two bolts that will be the right size, and ones that have the heads drilled to accept safety wire. For sure they wont come out then.

So, glad this rang a bell and has helped someone. Sort of makes an old guy feel good about himself again.

Cheers

 

Any time you find that you are having bolts back out, use blue Loctite on the threads. (do not use red)

 

Thank you for your post Chuck - excellent description. I lost a bolt from my gear select cable yesterday (didn't know this of course until I read you post) the symptoms were stuck in Park and couldn't start engine. Then I realised it was actually stuck in Reverse - which made it easier to find your post and of course fix it. Again thanks.
Brian (UK) S Type SE 3.0 2005 MY

 

Jaguar addressed this issue 17years ago.

 

Thank you - a useful document. What were Jaguar thinking when they adopted that method of fixing