Auto won't shift without brakes

On my 2001 auto XJ.

Anyone had this problem? Driving down the road, I have to tap the brake slightly to get the AW4 transmission shifter button to depress. Also, my ABS warning light has started coming on, I'm assuming because the vehicle does not know I'm moving?

Haven't seen the button issue. But since you have to depress the brake pedal to move the shifter out of Park...... that's a pretty good hint on where to look.

ABS light- I don't have ABS on either XJ but my euro-sedan throws a light now and then. Seems to be either gunk on one of the sensors or trigger wheel or an intermittent connection at a wheel.

Haven't looked into junk in the reluctor wheel. The two issues probably aren't connected. I can't figure how the interlock is activating once I'm out of park. I do have a Montana Auto Fab AW4 controller installed, I think I'll bypass it tomorrow and see if that fixes it.

My buddies 99 with ABS would lock you out of anything below "D" if you were at speed. You had to tap the brakes so as to pretend to slow, then it would allow the selection. I would have never noticed it if I didn't normally manual shift. My 01 does not do it.

The ABS thing is either a dirty reluctor, or a bad pickup. Yes, one of the wheels doesn't know it's moving, or atleast at the same rate.

So you're not running though the stock controller huh? Did you read the manual for that controller? Is this a "feature"?

I don't know how it works but it is not outside the realm of possibility that the shift interlock may be overridden at speed and the bad WSS is why it's not working...?

WB9YZU said:

My buddies 99 with ABS would lock you out of anything below "D" if you were at speed. You had to tap the brakes so as to pretend to slow, then it would allow the selection. I would have never noticed it if I didn't normally manual shift. My 01 does not do it.

The ABS thing is either a dirty reluctor, or a bad pickup. Yes, one of the wheels doesn't know it's moving, or atleast at the same rate.

So you're not running though the stock controller huh? Did you read the manual for that controller? Is this a "feature"?

Click to expand...

No, that is not a feature of the MAF controller. The problem didn't start with the controller, but I did have to send the controller's switch back for a replacement, not sure if it started after that. The MAF controller uses the stock transmission controller and "piggybacks" through it. I have many, many mods on my Cherokee, this is by far my favorite. Not being able to select 2nd gear low range to cruise around in the mountains was unacceptable.

As for the ABS thing, the light has been staying off with no affect on the shifting problem. It's very intermittent. My 5.5" Iron Rock 3 link kit drops out so much, I'm thinking I may have damaged my driver's side ABS cable. I also have a swapped in Ford 8.8 with every other tooth cut off the reluctor wheel, but that's been there and working for over a year with no trouble. I find it hard to believe the Cherokee's computer finally caught on to that.