Occasional glitch over the years trying to shift out of Park was always resolved by using the manual shift lock release. That lever (yellow plastic stick handle) broke off to the bottom and I am wondering if there is some clever, alternate way to manually maneuver the shift lock release until I can find a replacement part. Meanwhile, with car running and brakes depressed, I have so far been able to unlock the reluctant knob button on top of the shift mechanism by many repeated pressings until it finally releases with no resistance at all, allowing me to put the car in gear and drive away. This is typically a first start of the day issue. It may be unrelated that the car also disconcertingly allows the driver to turn it off and remove the key while still in gear. Reading a lot about shift lock electrical system failures, but hope to count on the manual shift lock release again.

P.S. Finding some good older posts, including some Art B. stuff with explanatory pictures of how the shift lock release lever works, and a reference to #7 and #12 fuses for the general issue. Brake lights good so will look for the blue snowflake light on AC switch.