Etios automatic transmission parking issue

Sounds rough! I had something similar happen with my old Opel Astra, though not exactly the same. The 'parking position defective' part rings a bell. With mine, it turned out to be the shift lock solenoid sticking. Basically, the car thought it wasn't in park, even when it was, so it wouldn't let me start it as a safety measure. It also caused some weird shifting issues because the computer was getting confused about the gear position. Have you checked the gear linkage to see if anything looks obviously out of place?

Shift lock solenoid, eh? Where exactly is that located, and how would I check it? Gear linkage looks okay, but I'm no expert.

Okay, so on the Astra, it was right near the gear shifter itself, under the console. Basically a small electromechanical component. I only knew about it because my mechanic pointed it out. Checking it without the right tools is tricky because you'd need to see if it's getting power and responding correctly. Honestly, with the check engine light and the shifting problems, I'd bite the bullet and get it to a workshop. Could be a defective control unit, which I believe can cause the symptoms you are seeing. It cost me about 1000€ to get mine sorted, so be prepared for that.

Ugh, a grand? Not what I wanted to hear, but thanks for the heads-up! Looks like a trip to the shop is unavoidable. I will report back when I know more.