1989 XJ 131,000 miles 4.0 Auto 4x4

Went to Walmart today. Came out. Cranked jeep and the shifter will not go any gear. If I press the button I can move the shifter from Park to 1 very easily. I feel no resistance.

My jeep is sitting in Walmart parking lot. I have went back home to get tools (usually in my jeep but not today of course) and research. I will try to fix it there if possible because to avoid a tow bill because money is tight (when is it not).

Any help appreciated, as always.

 

Check your linkage. You can yank the shifter handle off then pull up the bezel to peek inside there as well.

 

Oh yeah, I did that already. Forgot to say that. Here's a video of me shifting back and forth. I tried to capture it best I can but the bottom rod/cable is not moving like the top one. Edit: Is it supposed to be moving too?

 

Went back. It was the shifter cable popped off the ball. It would not stay popped on so I zipped tied to get it back home. Do they make a bushing for the white plastic piece or will I need to change whole cable? Of course I can search it out but I always like to ask here to make sure I get the right part number.

Edit: As you can see it will not pop on. I thought it might be backwards but it didn't want to spin and I didn't want to break it trying in the parking lot. Is it correct that way?


https://youtu.be/vKkLG95Aj2w?si=3bSmFNpgqcPq9wCz

 

 

To answer your 2nd cable question, I believe that's the shifter lock cable, that stops you moving the shifter without the key in.

 

I just crawled under mine and unfortunately it goes on the way you're trying to put it, so the cable end must be bad. Short of trying to thread the end, or otherwise attach an eyelet, via welding perhaps, it seems that you'll need to replace the shifter cable to fix the issue.

A little hard to tell from your video, but on mine, the metal arm on the transmission looks like it's bend outward more than yours. Yours looks fairly "parallel" to the axis of rotation, but not lighting up well with the direction of pull from the cable. It looks like the cable isn't sitting "square" when your trying to attach it. Not sure if it will help any, or if the cable end is just worn out...

 

I did find a bushing that fits it. It's only $25 vs a lot more for the entire cable. I may give it a try. Not sure yet.

I read about one dude who used a zip tie like I did forgot and it stayed there for years before he remembered. I always keep zip ties in my jeep haha.

Hopefully it will hold until I make my mind up. There are a few other things I need to do to this thing too.

 

To answer the other question, the other cable under the shifter bezel is part of the shift interlock and doesn't move with the handle.

 

Add another one for good measure!!

 

Even if I used "Hypertough" zip ties......