2000 Park won’t Engage Have to start in neutral

So this afternoon for the first time ever I had issues starting the truck. No sound of it turning over attempting to start (meaning no sound from the starter)

You could hear the sound of relays though in the under the hood fuse box.

long story short what I’ve diagnosed it down to is that the shifter won’t engage into park unless on the occasion I can force the shifter and get it to finally engage.

it then will start no problem

I can also always start it in neutral no problem.

you actually feel / hear the mechanical engagement into park when you force it around and get it to engage

so it does not seem to simply just be a sensor issue

- the P light does not engage during the period where it will not start
- during general diagnosing before noticing the park issue I found that;
::I replaced the starting relay due to originally thinking it could be bad
::I found that if I jump between positive and the starter contact where the relay goes the truck would turn over and I was able to start it and drive it home
::there is no power at the starting relay (for the low current ignition switch side) when the parking light isn’t engaged
:: however all fuses are good (ignition under the drivers side, the two higher amp fuses under the hood, the relay was replaced


So anyways all electrical systems are fine, but when the truck finally “jerks” into park after messing with the shifter the parking light comes on and the ignition turns over no problem.

driving over all with shifting seems fine

There had never been an issue prior starting, however I have noticed the shifting out of park occasionally seemed rough prior

if you have it “in park” but without the parking light lit, it will roll and make a somewhat grinding noise because naturally it would seem the park is not fully engaged

so being this doesn’t seem electrical, which aspect of specifically just the parking mechanisms should I look into? Hit or miss I can get it to engage, but more often than not I can’t.

there was no prior issues starting / going into park prior, it just all of the sudden happened

however in the past going out of park occasionally could be rough during the movement of the shifter

 

It sounds like the shift cable is out of adjustment or stretched. I'd say take a look on the trans wherever the cable hooks to it. Maybe disconnect the cable and verify that the trans shifts through all the gears properly while laying under the truck and shifting the lever on the trans. (With wheels chocked and parking brake set and truck key on but not running). Hopefully someone with more experience with this will chime in soon.

 

2nd.

 

Hey, on this note ... good place to ask this question, I guess. Do y'all hafta a brake safety switch in your truck, where you need to depress the brake pedal before the truck will start?

 

No safety break like that here, just the regular foot ebreak

 

So further unfortunate development, after trying to shift today it completely snapped so it seems to be an issue in the steering asemnly itself as now I can’t shift anything and it just slides up and down.

how big of a pain would you say it is to get parts for the internal assembly?

I guess at that point my question also would be can you buy a new steering wheel it’s self? The old one is grimy and very aged. So I figure if I have to disassemble the whole thing maybe it’s worth changing that out.

anyone done this project before? What’s the cost usually for the steering shifting assembly?
Thanks!

 

For some reason the post I was replying to vanished, but it seems they were referencing the part attached to the transmission if perhaps the cable broke off there.


The reason I believe it to be in the steering assembly is there was a distinct snapping noise this morning at which point it sounded like something plastic or other material rattling around after

 

Yea, my bad, i thought the transmission range switch had the cable connected to it like on my gm’s, but the switch is on the pass side.

And theres a way to adjust it if gear selection is getting difficult.

 

@esrick if this is your problem There is a solution here.

 

edit….same thread as @Festerw posted

If @Jack McCarthy sees this maybe he can offer some inside info. He had a wonderful write up over at TundraSolutions…. Until then and once you see how to get to the guts of the shift lever, throw up some pictures which might help with members comments.

 

OP, you can use the link provided by @BubbaW or @Festerw to my repair of the steering shifter on TS.com. The parts I have listed are for a TILT steering wheel, so if you have a non-tilt it would be even cheaper for the parts. IIRC, I spent around $200 or so bucks for what the dealer quoted would be $600 in labor costs + complete used steering assembly.

Looking at a pic I posted:



You want to at the very least remove the upper and lower portion of the steering column by tilting the steering wheel 90 degrees left to expose one screw and another 90 degrees right to expose the other screw.

After that and greasing the steering boot for the shifter (I used PAM), you should be able to remove both parts and expose the kidney shaped metal rocker shown on the right you can used to shift the vehicle. (You may have to remove some additional parts to free it up; IDR if I did, so you'd have to read through it)

 

Just happened to me today! Will not go into PARK and will only start in NEUTRAL.
Ordering parts on rockauto
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=12647329&cc=1375365&pt=15421&jsn=12017

 

Curious, how many miles?

 

217K

 

I thought I could start with the repairs today but ran out of time. So far:
- disconnected (-) battery
- split open steering column plastic cowling apart
- discovered why shifter feels so loose. See photos below of "bushing" or sleeve debris that is attached to shifter and shifter cable. I was surprised there is no safety pin holding the cable on. Maybe there is and mine is gone...?
shift1 by shellback code, on Flickr

shift3 by shellback code, on Flickr

 

I couldn't find the shifter bushing on any Toyota online parts.
As per Dorman's site:

https://www.dormanproducts.com/p-12...%20Lever%20Control%20Rod%20Bushing&origin=YMM

$13 on Amazon

$10 Dorman 14797 Shifter Cable Bushing Compatible with Select Models

https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-14797...1&keywords=Dorman+14797&qid=1631597169&sr=8-2

According to comments on Amazon, it should fit.

 

Interesting...
Seems like someone was in here before. I was racking my brain looking for the 3rd #30 Torx!

 

Ah, the things we find in our vehicles.

Seems like I've been here before, seems so familiar ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZyWDXCjFOI

 

Wasn't there a thread on here about a sloppy shifter? I wanna say someone found a bushing but don't remember when or where...

 

It was @CodyP

 

That’s it. It helped and took about 1/2 the slop away but there is still some wiggle room. At least I know the bushing is good to go though

 

Yup, @Tundra2 also had one in his sedan

 

Well the bushing thingy on the cable broke on the corolla. I just put a hitch pin in it. Post starts here and then end here. I never thought to look for a bushing like the one that's linked above.

 

Update:
I tried removing the bushings using the prybar method. No luck. Purchased a cheap hammer puller from HF and they came out easy.
Upon further inspection, I do not think I need part 33501-0C012, shaft assembly. I did not see any cracks or broken parts.
I definitely need the steering housing support, part 45859-07010.

I do not see any damage, part 33501-0C012:




Need to replace, part 45859-07010:

 

The shifter in my 2000 RCLB is loose, or at least has a ton of play in it. There's lots of good info here, and I will definitely be coming back here when I get around to repairing it. Unsure if the bushings in my shift mechanism are totally shot, or if its the whole assembly.

I've already ordered, and received the below part. I have not installed it, as I've been busy with other items...


I didn't realize that there were bushings that could be replaced without replacing the whole cable, but was hopeful that this would take a lot of the slop out of it. If I can get away with a cheaper repair, and send this back, that'd be grand.


I will revisit this thread in the future. Until then, I'll edit as link to this post on my intro post on the crackhead thread.

 

Indeed you have, like Love in a tundra | Toyota Tundra Forum (tundras.com)

 

Shhhhh don't tell @TundraGirl2, but I'm not supposed to know about that thread.

 

Sometimes I want to murder you