I own a 2004 XJ8 and the car won't drive when you put the car into reverse or drive. The issue came when the bolt came loose and now it won't move at all. We're not sure if the transmission is off. Can you please assist?

 

Welcome, Teresa. Your problem is, I believe, fairly common with the ZF automatic transmission that your car comes equipped with... There are two bolts that attach the cable linkage to the transmission housing; these small bolts can come loose and the car will not move from park into the forward or reverse gear ranges. What gear does your car show illuminated in the shift quadrant when you move the level from park? Or put another way, does "P" stay lit when you shift into "R" or "D"...?

 

While my husband was tightening the screw it was illuminated in drive, but when he turned the bolt it moved the gear into park and it wouldn't shift. I turned the car off and it reset back to park and now it's back to gears functioning, but it still won't go in reverse or drive. He only turned one bolt.

 

There are two small bolts, so he may have aligned the cable assembly into the wrong bolt hole. The electrical signal for the indicator quadrant comes from the transmission itself and not the linkage. I suspect something is misaligned.

JR