If truck sits for 5 hours or more it won’t start unless I wiggle the shift lever.

First post on this forum and first time owner of a tundra. I have a 2003 sidestep that if it sits for 4-5 hours or longer I need to jiggle the shifter lever or take out of park and put back in for the truck to start.

I had the neutral safety switch replaced because the car wouldn’t go into park. Now it goes into park and has this issue. I wondered if anyone has experienced this that could chime in.

 

Most of us don't wanna move unless our shift lever gets wiggled too. LOL.

 

Does it start in neutral.

 

Several members have reported the aluminum mechanism that translates shifter movement to shift cable cracked. May want to check that.

 

I will look into the mechanism and thank you. Aside from it needing to be moved slightly everything else is fine. I just thought it was weird that time passing would affect it.

 

The other part to look at is the neutral safety switch

 

^^

 

I suppose I could get another neutral safety switch and see if that does anything. The one I have was installed about 1000 miles ago.

 

Did you buy OEM, or aftermarket? Got any junkyards nearby that may have one that's compatible from another 2003, maybe 2004 uses the same part?

 

If you switch was recently replaced it may be slightly out of adjustment. Loosen the 12mm bolt with trans in neutral and adjust body of switch until shaft lines up with neutral basic line.