I have an 03 S-Type 3.0litre that I'm very happy with. Yesterday however when I went from reverse to first there was nothing. I just wouldn't "click" into 1st or any other gear besides reverse. I did end up pushing the car forward because I was getting ready to move into another car and as soon as I did that it worked. It happened again the very next time I tried to drive the car.

Anyone know ther answer to my problem? The car drives perfect outside of this.

 

Is it a manual? If an auto, how would you try to put it into 1st?

What else have you tried? Going to 2nd instead? What happens?

 

Jag, it's an auto and I've tried going from reverse to first and it just doesn't ever click or catch. Neither does 2nd, 3rd, etc... If I get out of the car with it in neutral and give it a little push ala Fred Flinstone then hop in it goes in to first fine and then drives perfect.

 

Well, I unplugged the negative battery cable and let it sit for a while. Went back and connected it and now there are no problems.

 

If that's fixed it, good. Mine's also auto but has no setting for 1st. Just D, 5, 4, 3, 2. (and P,R,N)

 

Yes I meant D instead of 1st. Well it has started again. I can actually rock back and forth in my seat in the car and then go from N to D and it will work. Something about moving the car just a bit. Anyone know what's going on with it?

 

This happened to me as well. Car had a "trans fault" and was stuck in gear. Unplugged for a while and all is good. Been a few months with no reoccurance of the problem.

 

I'd be gentle with it! Sorry I don't know what to do for sure but here's some info which may help. By 2003 you've a ZF 6HP26 tranny and it has its own internal TCM (tranny control module). It exchanges data over the CAN bus with both PCM and the J-Gate (yes, has its own module). So you can have a physical problem e.g. with the J-Gate or an electronic (computer bus wiring) problem. I'd start by disassembling the J-Gate stuff (but it's a guess) looking for any simple linkage issues that mean in effect that the J-Gate isn't telling it like it is.

Actually, I probably would instead hook up my diagnostic kit and see whether it would tell me where the fault lay but I've jag-enhanced stuff (AutoEnginuity) that you probably don't have.

 

I would get under the car and look at everything. Several people have reported bolts falling out of the shifter/transmission/console area. One guy even found the missing bolt on his garage floor!!
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Yes, well worth getting under it if you can. Even better if you took photos back when it was working and can compare

 

TBird was correct, it was the bolts. There are two of them, one was loose and the other is gone. All is good now, just happy the second one didn't fall out as well.

 

Glad it was something simple! I would use blue Loctite on both bolts. I don't know why they get loose but you are not the first to have this happen.
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