My villager will not start until i jiggle the gear shift lever. why?

Gear shift lock out pin is stuck. Remove the retaining screw and you can shift until you take it to mechanic jiggle it and pull back and forth usually fixes the issue

there is no connection between the ignition switch and the shift lever. One turns the power on to run and start and the shift lever prevents start until neutral or park is set . Therefore it is possible that the fault is not in the switch but in the adjustment of the neutral switch on the transmission.

check your brake switch thier is two one for your brake lights and one to activate the shift lock soliniod.

go to villager-quest yahoo group and join. expert help there. will it shift from 2nd to 3rd?

There is a small microswitch on the change lever assembly that has failed. This switch is used by the key interlock system to detect shift lever being put into Park position. The microswitch has not been available in the past as an indivfidual part but must be purchased with the entire change lever assembly.

Make sure the shift lever is working properly. If the lever is sloppy and loose it is not engaging the proper gear for starting (P or N). If this is the case a bolt is loose or missing on the shift mechanism under the dash. Get under dash with a flashlight and check the shift Mechanism. Replace or tighten the bolt(s) securely. There are two and are probably a brass color. This problem happened to me and it is quite common on the Villager.

try this.you have 2 shifter cables.one is select cable the other is shift cable.first put the transmission selector lever in neutral.then move transmission shift lever to 4th gear.depress clutch to if necessary to shift.move the shift lever to the 4th gear position until contacts stop.then you turn the adjuster turn buckle so the shift cable eye aligns with the eye in the gear shift lever.when installing the cable eye. make sure the flange side of plastic bushing at the shift cable end is on the cotter pin side.the cables should be adjusted so the clearance between the shift lever and both stoppers are equal when the shift lever is moved to 3rd and 4th gear. move the shift lever to each position and check that the shifting is smooth.

You may have a loose shift linkage in the steering column. Remove the upper and lower plastic covers behind the steerong wheel (5 or 6 philips head) and see if you have any loose torx head or allen head screws. Ea
rlier models had this isue.

Also, go to this site for Villager Quest help.

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/villagerquest/
Here's adjustment procedure too

SECTION 307-05: Automatic Transaxle/Transmission External Controls 2000 Villager Workshop Manual
GENERAL PROCEDURES Cable Adjustment —Shift Control

1. Place the gearshift lever in PARK (P) position.

1. Raise and support the vehicle. Refer to Section 100-02 .

1. Remove the splash shield.

1. Loosen the shift cable nut.

1. Position the shift linkage in PARK (P) position.

1. Tighten the shift cable nut.

1. Move the gearshift lever through the entire shifting range.

1. Verify that the engine will crank with the gearshift lever in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) position.

1. Adjust the transmission range (TR) switch as necessary, refer to Section 307-01 .

-------------------------------------------------

Item Part Number Description 1 043B13 Driver side air bag module 2 — Steering wheel nut 3 3600 Steering wheel 4 — Radio volume control cover 5 — Air bag sliding contact electrical connector access panel 6 — Cruise control cover 7 14A664 Air bag sliding contact 8 13K359 Multifunction switch 9 — Tilt wheel lever 10 13318 Turn indicator cancel cam 11 — Steering column assembly 12 — Steering column mounting bracket nuts (4 Req'd) 13 3C695 Lower column shroud 14 — Steering column opening cover nuts (3 Req'd) 15 — Steering column lower yoke bolt 16 3N725 Steering column lower yoke 17 — Steering column clamp bolt 18 3C695 Upper column shroud 19 7210 Gearshift lever

There is a neutral safety switch on the transmission. You may need to change this.

There are two torx bolts that hold the shifter to the column. You can see them with the lower column cover off (must first remove the ignition cylinder). If the lever is loose, these bolts are the first thing that I would check. That the identical problem on my villager.