My 2007 xj8 will not start after an alternator swap.

I did the following:
1) I replaced the alternator because it had a short on the diodes, with a rebuild.
2) Flashed the engine coolant

Now, the following fault is displayed on the dash: "CANNOT APPLY PARKBRAKE" ! This is very strange because the park brake is engaged. When I put the key in the ignition and turn the ignition on (no cranking yet) and shift to neutral; the car is solid -- can't push it either forwards or backwards.

What is more troubling is that the car WILL NOT START, it just keeps cranking and doesn't fire, as if fuel was cut off and as if there was no compression.

While I was replacing the alternator the front wheels were off the ground for a couple of days ~ around a foot or so (rear wheels were on the ground) and the battery terminals were disconnected.

Please help if you can --
Is there some sort of reset procedure I should go through ?
Did I trigger some safety mechanism or a kill switch.
Other symptoms: Windows won't roll-up all the way like they use to (with single push), the switch has to be held all the time for windows to roll up all the way.

 

On my 04 VDP you have to press the brake pedal and pull up on the PB switch to get rid if the warning.

Get down to basics. If it cranks with good batt voltage then check for spark . If you have spark, squirt a little fuel in the TB to see if it will fire.

Is the CEL on? Can you pull codes. If you are going to work on an OBDII car yourself you need that capability.

 

Thanks for your replay MK 82 , (my) paranoia set in before logic took over. I didn't read the message on the dash before i started cranking and it seems that the message instructing to "press brake pedal and parkbrake" comes only before cranking -- if brake pedal and the park brake are not engaged before engaging the starter then once the engine is cranked it's no use following the instruction (it will never start).... If that happens then reset sequence (pulling off the battery terminals) has to be repeated.

So, i got the car started, took it for a long test drive and it appeared to perform well --- except the fact that now the check engine light is one, I can't understand why -- all electrical connections were reconnected. (i guess now is the time to invest in an OBDii tool)

One other un-calculated thing I did; was to press the button (through a hole) located on drivers side -- lower left-foot panel; which has a "crossed out gas pump" (not sure what it did)

 

That was the inertia switch, you may have reset it which may have been the starting problem.

 

I just had the same problem and cured it by applying the brake pedal and raising the parking brake switch. Easy fix after I came out of panic mode. Lol