My XJ8 will only start in N, in P it just spins over without even a cough.
Once started everything seems ok, although it sometimes does not want to change up.Moving into N, then back into drive usually cures that.

 

Hey tefl...sounds like a bad range sensor (Neutral safety switch), or an adjustment for the linkage for the park position...I would start with the neautral switch first...check range sensor hope this helps....

Joe

 

Hi Joe.
Will get my friendly grease monkey to check the selector then,
I feel that this is more likely, given that the beast starts in N, so the 'car' knows it's in neutral.
The problem of SOMETIMES not wanting to change up also suggests it may not have selected 'D' properly, as all I do is move from D to N and back and the car will change up.
I just wondered if it were a common fault, if so someone may have just said "Hey Ho, I know what that is", but unfortunately not...
I doubt the company in the link would ship it to the UK anyway, dread to think of the cost.
Thanks anyway.
Terry