I have a 2005 Jaguar S-Type base model 3.0 engine, which developed a transmission problem recently. I created a short YouTube video showing the current situation and inquiry. Curious if anyone knows whether they feel that it's a cable issue or whether it's something that's developed inside the transmission.

First I'll offer a link to the video and in the description of the YouTube video is the full text of the situation as it happened and my questions as to what might be causing the play, etc., in the cable. [FYI, the bandage on my hand, believe it or not, just stretches my muscles to help with my carpal tunnel syndrome - there is no injury to the hand requiring bandage.]

(In case you are not able to see the full text in the description of the video, I will paste that text below the link.)

Here is a link to the video:


[Description also noted on the video page]

[NOTE: the bandage on my hand is only to stretch the muscles for my carpal tunnel syndrome. It is not a bandage covering up an injury. My hand is fine 😊 ]

About ten days ago my car would not properly shift and almost had to call a tow truck but was able to manipulate the shifter cable to drive the car. As you can see in this video it appears there is too much play in the cable (in relation to the shifter mechanism) so that although I can MANUALLY move the cable (disengaged from the shifter) to move it from Park into reverse as well as into neutral and into drive, there appears to be FAR too much play.

I had to make a massive adjustment (by making an adjustment with the adjuster nuts) as I show in the video, to move the shifter cable FORWARD enough, so that it lines up with the shifter mechanism (when transmission is in park).

When I try to manipulate the shifter to manipulate the cable (in other words when I snap the cable mechanism to the shifter pi), it just goes into reverse but never gets down into drive.

Way too much play, it appears.

I have a replacement shifter unit on the way (because it was locked up when this happened and I broke the stopping mechanism) but I can see now that the shifter unit is possibly not the problem).

It appears that either the cable is faulty (creating a whole bunch of play somehow) or ... the transmission linkage inside the transmission housing is having issues (D'oh!).

If the former is true, I can get another (used) cable for a little under a hundred bucks nearby and would have to save up some money (I'm guessing upwards of $200?) to have a shop install it.

If the issue is inside the transmission housing, I'll have to scrap the car due to finances.

A rebuilt transmission job on that car is actually just about as much or more than the car is worth (it has over 225,000 miles on it).

The rates I'm seeing are between $2,500 and $3,500 to fix the transmission.

The car is probably worth, in good condition, maybe $2,200?

Would love to get any feedback from transmission folks who might know more about this particular vehicle. (I'll go ahead and probably delete the video as soon as I handle the problem one way or the other).

 

First things first. Raise the car securely on jack stands or a lift. Get underneath and check the two small bolts securing the cable sheath to the transmission body.

On 2003+ models, these bolts are notorious for backing out. Lots more details here:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...l-bolt-269294/

 

Thank you so much! I will definitely check that out.

 

I am "seconding" Karl's suggestion.
(I got no idea, if that is a "thing" in the US as well, but on every meeting here, when someone makes a suggestion, there needs to be apparently someone to "second" that suggestion...)

Your video description (btw,: well made) would fit in exactly with the cable sheath (cable "mantle") being not fixed properly to the tranny-body under the car, where the cable comes out to connect to the transmission...