2004 3.0L AWD J gate suddenly won't engage.

When I slide the shift knob over to use it manually, nothing happens! There are no click stops for gears 2-3-4. Only the light for fourth gear lights up, no lights for 2 or 3. It will not downshift or anything. If I start with fourth gear in the J from a stop, it acts like the automatic, with shift points the same as if I was in D.

Any ideas on where I should start looking are greatly appreciated.

 

Nothing?!? Nobody has any experience with this sort of thing? Is there a micro switch that determines when manual is to be used?

In researching this issue I saw a number of posts regarding clicking noises and j-gate micro switches, but nothing indicating a complete loss of manual shifting.

 

Only seen this, which is to reset the J Gate

http://www.bluejag.co.uk/Jaguar-XT-T...s/XT310-01.pdf

 

Hi Santer,

Thanks for the input. Do you have any hands on experience with the J-Gate? Thermo was telling me that for the most part it's simply an electronic switch, though I saw in the service manual that there is a cable connection, but if it's mostly electrical a reset might solve the issue! I don't see how it can hurt. Thank again.

 

No experience with the J Gate

If a reset does nothing at least it might narrow the options

 

That's what I'm thinking, thanks again.

 

Hi, it sounds like your shift lever has lost the 4-3-2 pin. To check this, try the following procedure:
Remove the wood shifter trim ring by prying up with your fingers at the front near the ashtray.
Remove the two screws holding the ashtray, lift it out and unplug the cigarette lighter.
Move the right front seat back as far as it will go.
Remove one screw from the carpet panel on the right side of the console.
Remove the panel by pulling it out to the right, starting from the front near the firewall.
You can at this point view the inside of the shifter assembly, the shift lever should have a 1" knob at the base of the shaft, which should engage the white plastic slider when the lever is placed in gear 4. If the knob has fallen off the slider will not move forward on the slider rail to engage gears 3 and 2.
To verify the operation of your shift assembly you should visit a dismantler and ask them to show you a working unit. The knob engaging the slider will be quite visible through the side of the unit.