LR3 Stuck in Park Transmission Fault

[D Chapman]

2005 LR3

Had an issue with the gear selector being stuck in park. Getting the truck out of park was easy do to the emergency safety switch bypass located on the gear selector box under the center console top trim. For anyone who does not know, and thanks to Jimmy Jams, there is a white lever under the trim that releases the gear selector, even if there is no key. This allowed me to get the truck home.

Then I had to figure out why I was getting the transmission fault. There can be a number of reasons this can happen with the most common being that something got wet, the brake light switch is bad, or a something as simple as a blown rear brake light has gone out.

My problem with with a wiring harness in the center console.

If you lift the center console top trim piece off the center console, you expose the gear selector box. To remove the trim, there are two screws (T20 I think) on each side of the console - one is by the e-brake switch and the other is under the rubber "pocket" thing that serves basically no purpose at all on this earth.

Then pull straight up on the gear selector handle to remove it. Might take some force, but it lifts straight out.

Then just unclip the trim and lift it up. There are three wiring harnesses connected to the trim that must be disconnected before completly removing the trim.

Once the trim is off, look at the rearward side of the gear selector box and you will see a small wiring harness. This is where my problem was. To get the harness disconnected, peep this photo:

This is what mine looked like:

I cleaned it up and all is back to normal.
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/other-products/cleaners-and-protectants/mp-metal-protector/

 

[jafir]

Good info. Do you think this was (or could have been) caused by the sunroof being left open in the rain? Or is that connector not facing a direction that it would fill up with water?

 

[Devildog01]

That's from Dan spilling a yuengling pounder on it.

 

[discostew]

That's from Dan spilling a yuengling pounder on it.

I call that connector a big gulp catcher. It points straight up to catch every last drop.

 

[Devildog01]

Sometimes I miss my lr3. Then I see this and don't miss it so much.

 

[discostew]

That connector Dan found all shitted up is the most probable cause of all that shift interlock shittery. Another thing that's getting more common up north is a splice above the rear axle that causes loss of batt voltage at the park brake. That causes all kinds of coms faults , dash lit up like a Christmas tree, no start. Instrument clusters can cause all kinds of no start, shut down, door locks cycling.

 

[D Chapman]

Sometimes I miss my lr3. Then I see this and don't miss it so much.

You sold that turd?

 

[seventyfive]

That connector Dan found all shitted up is the most probable cause of all that shift interlock shittery. Another thing that's getting more common up north is a splice above the rear axle that causes loss of batt voltage at the park brake. That causes all kinds of coms faults , dash lit up like a Christmas tree, no start. Instrument clusters can cause all kinds of no start, shut down, door locks cycling.

Ive fixed several of those splices.

I understand manufacturers factor production costs into production engineering BUT using a butt connector that does not have solder AND glue inside the heat shrink insulation is terrible. Nope, just use a non insulated metallic connector wrapped in tape. Disassimilar metal corossion combined with moisture wrapped in tape to hold the moisture in is poor manufacturing.

The LR3 is the only reason i use a fog light as a test light. You may have 12 volts but no current. Thats how i found the first shitty splice in the wiring harness for the EPB. luckily the splice is next to the frame rail and not above it. And of course dont forget to add a spare tire hoist to the estimate...has anyone ever not have the spare tire hoist not fail after lowering the spare tire?

 

[seventyfive]

Daniel, let me know if you need or want the connector housing, connector, and repair wires to properly fix that connector. I can point you to where you can get them, unless Land Rover finally sells individual repair bits instead of complete harness'.

 

[seventyfive]

 

[seventyfive]

Fwiw, this is what we use for electrical connections.
http://www.amazon.com/Stabilant-5ml-Kit-Makes-30ml/dp/B001E50GQS

Stability 22 is the best.

 

[Devildog01]

You sold that turd?

That turd is the only reason your still not liv7ng in the woods of pa with Zak as yoir wife.

 

[Roverfire]

2005 LR3

Had an issue with the gear selector being stuck in park. Getting the truck out of park was easy do to the emergency safety switch bypass located on the gear selector box under the center console top trim. For anyone who does not know, and thanks to Jimmy Jams, there is a white lever under the trim that releases the gear selector, even if there is no key. This allowed me to get the truck home.

Do you have a picture of where this is located?

 

[discostew]

Fwiw, this is what we use for electrical connections.
http://www.amazon.com/Stabilant-5ml-Kit-Makes-30ml/dp/B001E50GQS

Stability 22 is the best.

Looks like the spell check on your phone messed this up. The splice that's going bad above the axle is in such a bad place they make an overlay harness that you splice in near the suspension compressor. Stabalant 22 is awsome stuff. Porsche Audi and VW all seem to like it. Trickles into the other Car lines with stray techs

 

[jymmiejamz]

Is that stuff similar to Nyogel? That's what I always use.

 

[seventyfive]

Looks like the spell check on your phone messed this up. The splice that's going bad above the axle is in such a bad place they make an overlay harness that you splice in near the suspension compressor. Stabalant 22 is awsome stuff. Porsche Audi and VW all seem to like it. Trickles into the other Car lines with stray techs

if you pull that harness until it doesn't give anymore you'll have enough room to put a proper heat shrink able butt connector in the original splice's place.

 

[seventyfive]

Is that stuff similar to Nyogel? That's what I always use.

I've never heard of nyogel.

Like stew said, stabilant 22 is actually suggested by German manufacturers. It works awesome on Mk3 and previous VW's. The aluminum pins get oxidized terribly on the VW's.

 

[jymmiejamz]

Nyogel comes in the Squeaks and Rattles kit. Land Rover recommends using it on poor connections such as steering wheel switch connectors on the all new Range Rovers and Range Rover Sports. I use it all the time, and it works pretty well. Its probably absurdly expensive and comes in like a 1 oz tube.