2000 Saab 95 lights check ok but didn’t crank - shifter STUCK in park

I'm back! 2000 Saab 95 wagon automatic! I'm the one who lives where there are no Saab techs within a 200 mile radius! And I don't work on cars!!

Here's my tale of woe:
Dec 4th: The car wouldn’t turn over after I changed left rear brake bulb and then pressed brake pedal with no key in ignition to see if bulb worked. All good with my bulb changing!
Then I tried to start the car.
The key turned, all lights came on and console check was good. The shifter was stuck in park. The depressor knob thing wouldn’t budge. Engine didn't make a sound. Silent. Tried a few times, same thing.
I looked it up on line and found others have had this happen to other Saabs. I finally got it to start after a recommended stomping on brake with key in position. I added a wrenching of the steering wheel just in case the car thought it was locked and a slight wiggling the shifter as I didn't want to force it. It went from lights to a low rumble and started. I turned it off and started it again, like normal, with just a turn of the key.
Odd at best.

Has anyone here experienced this odd behavior?
Some folks said it may happen due to shifter position. Some said the shift relay. Some say ignition switch. Someone said crank position sensor under the exhaust manifold.

It starts again but I'm wondering if just pressing on brake pedal with no key in ignition after changing a bulb would cause this car to lock up?
I didn't dare drive it but hope you all can help me understand the potential problem...and can look into your crystal balls and suggest if I dare drive it on errands? Or will it potentially lock up again if it did it once?

Thanks in advanced and sorry I'm such a newbie to the world of Saabs!

It's started today and goes into gear and back to park with no problems.

Been searching and here's a question for you experts....does the Saab 95 have an ignition lock associated with anti-theft? I'm not sure if there's any activated alarm system as I have never heard a siren but perhaps when the rear light was dangling so I could press on brake and see if light worked, the anti-theft got confused and locked the ignition???

for explaining some behaviors of our cars.

1. CPS issue is when you crank with no fire and the tachometer needle stay at zero
2. even without alarm system on option in the car it doesn't start if the NSS (neutral safety switch) is worn
3. even without alarm system on option in the car it doesn't start if the ignition switch is worn
4. electrical system come from the front goes on the right rear light housing and come back to the front so changing brakes light for maybe a non right model of bulb could cause an odd behavior to the system.

you issue could be coming from

1. a defective sensor or bad contact on the brake pedal who's connect the lever and the pedal (it know you've press the pedal at start) maybe that ?
2. ignition switch module under the key barrel (seems behaviors are different from that)
3. NSS on the top of the gearbox who's worn and don't know which position is the lever (seems you can move the shift but no crank) so not that for me

Next time when your gear shift stay hard you have a small square button on the right of the console push it in the mean time put the shift in N position and try to crank (with brakes on )

200 miles from Saab service could become a problem for some things. Different security system along with radio and such, but there is enough GM in the car that a good Chevy mechanic who can figure out what's going on in a Saturn can figure out a Saab. Diagnostic and programing access is the big rub and that's why I carry a Saab card for the Tech 2 tucked inside the owners manual. Access to software is available to everyone, but a dealership with a spare 32meg PCMCIA card is hard to find.

The anti theft system for your year has its own batteries and they need to be replaced every so many years, but this doesn't sound like the normal anti theft system problem. Then again it could be if this Saab has the same kind of drive me away dance ignition disable override as other cars of the period and your tapping the brakes and turning switches was right to start but not right to finish the sequence.

Thanks Swisssaabist and Digger...I've added all the suggestions to my note to research and pass on to George if I can make it 220 miles down the road!
This unlocking square on the right?? I looked for that square. Can you look at pics and tell me where it is??? Is it the tiny rectangle close to the left of the shifter? Pardon the dog hair n dirt! I travel with my whipador!
Yes, 200 miles is a jaunt!
The biggest problem is the lack of quality of the work done in my immediate area. Had a great Volvo place only 45 miles away but they won't touch a Saab. Other places I've tried in the past are just unscrupulous swindlers charging too much for cheap parts and incompetent work.
I'm leaning towards the idea I confused the car. Fingers crossed I don't do it again. I have read about some of the oddest procedures to deal with the alarm system that could have consequences if a novice like myself starts trying to figure out what the night panel, etc is all about.
I'm about to drive her. Hopefully she stays true blue and won't repeat the ugly mess.

Attachment 16408

You're right this is the small square tab on the picture 1
let me say a simple good sense advice, when you buy a new printer you read the manual for avoiding doing mistakes ..right?
many of us didn't read the owner manual of cars believing knowing any bolts of any car that's a common mistake, concerning Saab this is full of infos (maybe the better manual ever made before others makers do nearly the same)

Thanks swisssabist, that will help if it ever happens again.
Just to make sure, the “small square tab on the picture 1” you mentioned is the little rectangle on the left of the shifter as circled in picture.
Attachment 16410
I am too new to this car so I keep the manual close. But in my panic, I didn’t find any reference in the manual as to what one does when the shifter and ignition locks up.
Luckily it happened in my driveway and I could run in and google.
Now, all seems good. Drove w/ no problems, parked w/ no problems. If it’s more complicated then confused security system, it’ll break, I guess.
And I promise I’ll read the manual again and see if I can find the chapter on the little tab!