I would get under the car and separate the linkage from the transmission.

Pull the lever on the transmission backwards all the way to the park position. Remember the transmission lever is inverted from the operator's handle, park is all the way back, 2 is all the way forward, due to the pivot point inside the shifter box.

See if the car starts normally. If so there's your problem. When you put it in park you are not pulling the transmission lever back far enough to make up the NSS contacts.

Also try 2 clicks forward to see what happens in neutral.

I really think you have a linkage adjustment problem or worn bushings. My 87 was in an accident (rear ended another car) before I owned it. I purchased it from another forum member who started fixing it and vstech and I finished it up. Until we replaced the engine and transmission mounts, replaced the shifter bushings, and recalibrated the linkage, I had major problems finding the right gears. Everything in the drive train was pushed back about an inch or 2.

__________________
The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech