I parked my 1981 XJ6, got out of the car and found it rolling forward. Unlocked the door, jumped in, put on the brake. I brilliantly had left the car in NEUTRAL - not park.

Now here's where it gets weird.

I put it in PARK, inserted the key in but it would not turn to the right. Just locked vertically. I pushed the car in neutral back into it's parking spot, tried again, (in PARK), but the key will not turn.

???? Any ideas? Or am I being punk'd??

 

sounds like the possibility that the steering lock is either engaged or jammed.

place the shifter in Park,

insert the key and turn it to START at the same time that you move the steering wheel left or right and see if it makes any difference.

 

If still no go, you might have to jack up the front wheels to relieve the torque. In addition to Jose's suggestion.


Carl

 

Jose and Jag Cad,

Jose's advice was the ticket! I twisted the wheel, turned the key, presto, I am King of the Road Again. The electrics on these old Jags seem a little...eccentric. Sometimes my friends make snide comments. I remind them I am driving a 35 year old Jag. It smells like leather. Glides like a dolphin. It was 10% of the cost of a new Hyundai. They shut up.

 

Doncha just Luv doing that?
(';')

 

Good that you're all fixed but, for the record, it was never an electrical issue.

The steering lock is purely a mechanical device. Sometimes the mechanism gets into a bind. Moving the steering wheel relieves it.

Cheers
DD

 

Vancouver777,

that's great!! all XJ-6 Series 3 are like that, you have to turn the steering wheel, usually counter-clockwise to release the lock, but sometimes clockwise too.

it's a built-in anti-theft feature of the Series 3, made from 1979½ until 1987 in 6 cylinders, and until 1992 in 12 cylinders.

Also notice that when you shut the engine off, and remove the key from the ignition, if you again turn the steering wheel a bit, it will lock the steering wheel in place. You can hear it go "click". It is best to park the car with the front tires straight ahead, so you don't have to struggle later with the locking device if the front tires are turned.

 

My car must have an SIII steering column too, then, because it does Just That! Locks when I take the key out and gets jammed up just like Wart and I have to turn the wheel a bit to make it work.

All these little SIII tidbits I find on my car is sometimes quite entertaining.
(';')

 

I think you'll find that even the Series 1 cars have a locking column. It was a USA requirement starting in 1969 or so.

Cheers
DD

 

.

You are on the money there Doug, my S1 has a locking column.

 

Well, alright then. That explains that.
Thank you, Doug.
(';')

 

Locking columns way back. That bind has been involved in almost all cars with the lock feature. Tis a mechanical thing that can bind. Same CCW twist fixes it.


Ford introduced it in their cars n 1932. It remained til 1948. The ignition switch was a slick little toggle on the steering post. The starter was a separate button on the lower left corner of the dash. Slick movement. right thumb to flick the switch forward to the on position, then the left thumb to the crank button. a healthy Ford would fire almost immediately.


The lock was actually a tad flimsy. Kinda lie the point of a nail!!!


Oh, not to mention that a .25 coin was the perfect size to connect the exposed contacts on the back of the switch and turn the ignition on. A strong guy/gal could twist the wheel CCW and bend the lock tang. Add the two bits, roar and goodbye Ford...


Carl

 

unfortunately or maybe fortunately, my 1965 Jaguar S type does not have a locking steering column.

it has the same identical steering column as the XJ, but no locking device, although it was offered as an "OPTION" in the "Accessorrys" (yes, the Accesorry's section of the Parts Manual).

"Accesorrys" as in "Sorry You Can't Access This Unless You Pay The Dealer More Money".

 

The later cars has the federally mandated collapsible column which would not be seen on your 1965 Jag.....and, as you say, no locking device.

Probably not all that 'identical'.....unless you're definition of 'identical' is 'looks sorta the same from the outside'


Cheers
DD

 

yes of course they are not identical, but they both have the same scalloped nut to adjust the forward-outward position, the same horn wire, horn switch, same mounting bracket, etc. The XJ column is just more developed.

 

This is NOT an electrical mystery... it is plain and simple Driver Error!


Failure to set the parking brake, AND Failure to shift transmission into Park, cannot be blamed on the evil fairies of Lucas.

 

if you shut the engine off, and remove the key, the steering column will lock itself, even if the transmission is in Neutral or any other position of the shifter.

The steering column lock works with the ignition switch only.

 

Yes, but if you put it in Park and set the park brake, the whole weight of the car isn't on the column lock and there is less chance of it binding to the point of complete immobility.
At least that works with my car.
(';')