ABS/Traction Control/Shift Lock

[no.6]

This post covers a bunch of topics so I thought I'd start here. On my '08 Legacy GT 2.5 (~62k miles) the traction control and ABS warning lights come on. This happens after about an hour of driving and then persists until the car sits for a number of hours. I presume this has something to do with the temperature of the affected part(s). Once the warnings happen, the next time I shift to park, the shift lock engages. I presume this is to prevent future failure and as a safety mechanism. So, I have a couple of questions:

 

1. Are my presumptions sane.

2. What steps might I take to better understand the problem.

3. Has anybody experienced this in the past.

 

Thanks for any assistance.