After reading your second post, I re-read my owner's manual:

Shiftlock release

The gear selector is locked in the P position. To manually release the shift lock, turn the starting (ignition) key to position I and press firmly on the "SHIFTLOCK OVERRIDE" button located near the base of the gear selector (see illustration). While holding the override button down, move the gear selector from the (P)ark position.

According to this, when you can't get the shifter out of park with the ignition on and the brake pedal depressed, depressing the mechanical shift lock override button with just the ignition on should suffice (stepping on the brake pedal should not be necessary). The point of the shift lock override is to get around the failure of any or all of the following: brake pedal switch, shift lock relay, park position microswitch. Of these three, from what I've read here, the microswitch is the most likely culprit. It seems to me that replacing it is FAR easier than disabling the whole system as described in the FAQ.

"Is this a mechanical linkage that manually closes the microswitch?"
There's a pin near the base of the shift shaft that slides onto the angled lever of the microswitch when the shifter is moved into the Park position. This closes the microswitch.

There's no need or point in using the override unless one of the above three items has failed.

I advise you to get the bulb from the dealer. For low-ticket items, paying a 50-200% premium is only a buck or two, which is worth it compared to getting something apart, only to find the replacement part doesn't fit/work.

Try this link to download the manual for your car. Didn't use to require an account, I don't think; apparently does now, but I imagine it's free.





--
David Armstrong - '86 240(350k km?), '93 940T(270k km), '89 240(parts source for others) near Toronto