Jaguar xj40 wont start

[dave de roxby]

Was sitting in my 1992 Daimler 4.0 litre on a hill facing upwards with engine started and ready to move off. Mobile rings, so put it in park. May have allowed it to run back before applying handbrake. Switched off ignition. Finish phone call and turn key to start. Nothing lights up. Furthermore, will not come out of park. Have checked all fuses and can see nothing wrong. Have disconnected and reconnected battery (in good conditon, fully charged} no difference. Lights, central locking all working. Just no ignition when key turned. Any ideas please?? Desparate!

[a8hex]

dave de roxby said:

Was sitting in my 1992 Daimler 4.0 litre on a hill facing upwards with engine started and ready to move off. Mobile rings, so put it in park. May have allowed it to run back before applying handbrake. Switched off ignition. Finish phone call and turn key to start. Nothing lights up. Furthermore, will not come out of park. Have checked all fuses and can see nothing wrong. Have disconnected and reconnected battery (in good conditon, fully charged} no difference. Lights, central locking all working. Just no ignition when key turned. Any ideas please?? Desparate!

I wonder whether it is the inhibitor switch.
If it's like the X300 their will be a star shaped screw head in the top left corner of the gear surround, if you remove the screw you can poke a screw driver down the hole and free the gear leaver. See if it will start when in neutral.

[dave de roxby]

Hi A8hex,
Thanks for that. Yep, have freed gearlever by depressing the this switch. Gear lever moves out of park and car rolls freely. But turn key and still nothing lights up! Must be something electrical linking ignition switch to inhibitor?? Got the Haynes manual out but have real trouble following the wiring circuits. They don't seem complete, not like the old days! Whilst on that topic, is it just me or do you find the newer style Haynes manuals less helpful than the old classic ones which had numerous engineering drawings etc. At least they gave you a chance to figure things out from first principles. Cheers.

[melhook]

Just a note, even if it is the inhibitor switch, you will still get all your lights and dash working, same as if the injection cut out has tripped. I would checking battrey voltage, and supplies to the three fuse boxes, one at each A post, and IIRC oone under the centre arm rest.