Neutral start switch or Shift interlock???

What I'm referring to and what my question is about is the long-ago recall that added a switch that prevents you from moving the transmission shift lever from park without placing your foot onto the brake pedal. I have the recall applied to both the 88 (years ago) and to the 91 shortly after I bought it last year. Now, something's failing w/the one on the 88. Once in awhile it will not release . . . eventually, it always seems to release and let me get it into gear . . . but, it's definately beginning to fail. 'Anyone had this problem and know whether I'm looking at a failure of this switch or an adjustment problem? Is the switch located under the console? Thanks for your good assistance! Don

I may be all wrong here, but if I remember right, the shift-lock solenoid is in the park/lock cable that runs from the column to the shifter. Since it is made to shift out of park, without stepping on the brake, by turning the key from 'lock' to 'off', my thinking is if the solenoid fails, it would fail in this condition. If you have the key 'on' and the shifter won't release by stepping on the brake, it makes me think the solenoid is working, and not getting a release signal from the brake light circuit. So, first thing I would check when it is not releasing, is see if the brake lights are working. I have a column shift without the shift lock, but on mine, one of the wires on the brake light switch connector was broken, and the wire insulation was holding it together, causing an intermittent no-brake light problem. If the brake light circuit is not working, this ( or the brake light switch ) may be the problem!

there's a power wire going to the fusebox that you can pull, when the system has no power, it functions as if the interlock was not even there.

one was in the 87XJ I picked up for my MJ's 4.0L swap. needless to say, that's about the only thig from that XJ that DIDN'T get swapped over.

Thanks MJMK & CheapXJ! I'll check those things out . . . . I didn't think it was ever going to let me back out of the garage this morning . . . . . BTW, The Jeep dealer told me "once a recall, always a recall and if it's broke they'll fix it free." Of course, that leads to the age-old problem of "how do I make it fail when it's in the shop . . . " Don

remove it...

then just don't step on the gas before putting it in gear.


I prefer not to be inconvenienced by things that protect stupid people from themselves .

There is a two wire connector by the gas pedal very small connector going into a small round part on the cable. Just unplug the connector and your done. It takes about 3 seconds to disconnect and is also a good theft deterrent if you cant get it out of park you can't steal it. Mine has been disconnected for a while and no problems yet. I think the wires were blue and red not sure I will check in a second for ya.
DIG IT!