Unique (I think) problem with shifting.

Hey,

My 2004 Tundra wont shift out of park unless the break is pushed all the way in when your starting it. To clarify, the brake has to be pushed all the way back when turning the key.

It starts fine either way, but you wont be driving unless you had the brake pushed in. I don't mind the theft prevention, but want to know if anyone has idea's on what could be causing this.

All the best.

 

The key in the ignition does nothing unless your foot is on the pedal?

By design, the truck will not shift out of park unless the ignition is on AND your foot is on the brake pedal. It would suck if you were parked on a hill just chilling and your passenger reaches over and takes the truck out of park when you have no control.

 

So, I brought up a point a few months back and feel like people thought I was batshit crazy.

When I shift into park and release my brake, I hear the unmistakable sound similar to a plunger 'thunk'ing out. When that happens, I cannot shift again until I depress the brake. I know, it's shift lockout, every car does it. But two things are unique to this truck versus the dozens of other cars I've owned and driven during my lifetime.

One, the click or THUNK noise is unusually loud.

Two, there are times when it seems to jam, and I can't shift until I release the pedal, stop trying to shift, and leave it in park for a second, and without fail, I hear a click sound, and I can shift again after pressing the brake.

I wish, for the life of me, I understood why in the feck this shit happens on this truck. I feel like I need to lube something, or maybe replace something somewhere. It literally feels like it could be a plunger of some sort just needing a little adjustment or extra slickness.

I realize this long as post doesn't really solve your problem. I'm just venting about the times when *I* also can't shift gears. I'm worried I'm going to snap my shift arm boss off sometimes, like other members here have done.

 

I had a similar issue couple years ago. I parked my 2000AC for a couple weeks and when I returned it would shift out of park. Found the interlock plunger with spherical end that engages on the brake pedal wasn’t moving. I was able to get it moving by applying some grease to the end and pressing it in with a long screwdriver and releasing it several times. No problems since

 

Sorry, I have not figured out how to reply. So, I hope this works. I'm new to thread discussions.

The truck will start without your foot on the break. However, if you start it this way it wont shift out of park no matter what you try, including shifting with brake compressed. To be able to shift you must start the truck with the brake compressed. The more I try to diagnose the issue the more it boggles my mind.

 

I will check that out. Thank you.