One day it (04 x-type 3.0 with 103k miles and good shape) was driving fine, the next day tranny gave out as it would not move when shifting into gear (loud grinding noise) so girl owner had it towed home. That was 3+ months ago. Car has been sitting outside in Miami Beach condo parking lot ever since and now its up for sale for real cheap and I'm interested knowing its a project.

Fast forward to present: Engine wont crank now (only starter relay clicking noise) and it wont shift out of park with ignition on and foot on brake so had to manually release the J gate to put in neutral for anticipated towing. However, even in neutral, it WILL NOT roll now!!? Would the usual accumulation of rust on the rotors be enough to cause brakes to freeze up? Car does not budge with 2 people trying to push. Is it possible gear box is somehow locked even though in neutral? I guess I'll find out when tow truck hooks up the chains and drags it forward and onto a flat bed.

 

Two thoughts here..

After tranny failure, shift lever in "N" may no longer mean tranny in neutral, especially if you had to work around the shifter to get it in neutral.

Second, the security system may have immobilized the engine (e.g. starter will not turn).

Just something to look at.

 

The initial problem sounds like a classic transfer case blow up...probably the planetary gear system pinions' journals broke and their housing, as it is an '04.

Did it show "gearbox fault" on the message centre originally? If not then most likely the above mentioned transfer case.

So, even if the gearbox was frozen/locked up it should easily move backwards and forwards an inch or so because of play in the diffs (esp. at 103K mileage).

So I'm guessing frozen brakes with no vehicle movement what so ever.
My 2006 X stands for a month or so at a time in the open and needs considerable gas to initially move against the slightly "frozen" brakes.

Rob.
2006 X Type Sport Wagon.
1987 XJ6. Daily driver.

 

Was there a design change to the TC in '04? (date of mfg is actually 10/2003 but model year is 2004). Is TC failure more common for this year than other years? Thanks!

 

No, transfer box failure is more likely on the earlier cars with a Viscous Coupling in the centre diff than it is on the later cars which do not have the VC. 2004 was the change year.