Car wont start with Auto. Tranny set to "P"
 

I just finished replacing a bad auto tranny on a series5 FC with another tranny. The car wouldnt move with the old one and with this new one, I can drive around normally. When I put the car into Park, the letter "P" in the instrument cluster doesnt light up and the car doesnt start. When I turn the key it acts as if its in gear. I can see the lever pressing against that metal cable that runs to the ignition somewhere and I also checked the lever connections while the shifter surround was off. I have to put the car in Neutral to start it. Everyother gear seems to work fine except for Park.

Does something need to be adjusted or does a sensor need replacing? This is the first time I've ever dealt with an automatic transmission. Thanks!

Inhibitor switch? Just guessing from the wiring schematics, since I've never had an auto. It's part of your starter interlock circuit, much like the clutch switch on manuals. Looks like it's on the left side of the tranny, with black/white and black/red wiring. If you'd like, jumper the two wires at the connector, if that helps, then you have a bad switch...

BTW, those are S4 wire colors, hopefully they'll be the same on S5's...

On the series 4 auto tranny, their is a sensor on the outside of the tranny that you connect an electrical plug to. It closes the circuit when you place the tranny in "P" to allow you to start the car. Works similar to the clutch safety switch on a 5spd. I don't know exactly where it is on the Series 5 tranny, but I'm pretty sure its in the FSM.

Thanks! Maybe the inhibitor switch needs adjusting. If thats not it, I'll be back :)

I finally got some time to mess with this car once again. I looked up the inhibitor switch in the FSM and adjusted the switch using the instructions in the manual. The "P" light in the gauge cluster will not turn on when the tranny is in the Park position. If I put the tranny in Neutral or any other gear, that gear's light turns on like it should.

I figured the inhibitor switch was bad so I used the one from the old tranny. Since I never had this problem with that transmission. After replacing the switch, I checked the instrument panel and the "P" light will still not turn on and the car still doesnt start in Park. I have to switch it to neutral to turn the car on.

I checked the connection to the other sensors down there and theyre all properly connected. What else could be bad?

bump0rz

yoink!

no love for the auto trans...

Nobody has one so they can't help you :p:

so true :(

have you tested continuity on the connector for the neutral safety switch? there's a section on it in the haynes manual. you need to take an ohm meter/multimeter and test for a connection on different pins of the connector at different gears.

also, did you put a series 5 replacement tranny in it? s4 and s5 have different electrical connectors. i know on series 4 there isn't a gear indicator on the dash and the neutral safety switch is completely different.

Thats awesome. Is it for a customer? Just have them start the car in neutral. Its a security feature. (Not that anyone would steal an automatic.)

The replacement transmission is for a series5 car. Everything was the same. I dont know what the heck is causing it not to start in park. The car belongs to my sister. She's gotten used to starting the car in neutral but it would be nice to fix it properly.