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Gear shifter sticks and park button fails

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by smithBYU85, Oct 1, 2007.

  1. smithBYU85

    smithBYU85 Junior Member

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    Location:
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    2004 Prius
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    Five
    I have an 04 model with a problem in the gear shifter. It is getting colder here in Utah and the lever has been clicking when I hit N, and this morning it got stuck on N after I put in reverse. I was able to move it from N to its normal position. I tried it a second time and it almost got stuck but it did move from R back to its starting position.

    By mentioning the temp, I mean this isn't a problem in warmer weather and this did not happen last winter that I can remember.

    Any ideas?
     
  2. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    that happened to me i think 3 times first thing in the morning on what were probably the coldest days of the year down here. (it doesn't get very cold.)

    of course, when i had DH look at it, it wouldn't do it. so i have no idea and he thinks i'm crazy :p
     
  3. smithBYU85

    smithBYU85 Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Oct 1 2007, 10:14 AM) [snapback]519828[/snapback]</div>

    Yeah, that's how it always is, the problem never occurs when someone who can fix it takes a look at it. If I go early enough in the day and not let my car warm up, the dealer might be able to actually see it, but I have class from 8-11 every day of the week. I hope it doesn't continue... This car has had so few problems, I absolutely love it!

    It's only in the 40s when I leave, winter should bring temps to 20 or lower. It actually snowed here on Saturday, very briefly tho. This car hasn't had to sit in the cold b4, it's always been in a garage but my apartment doesn't have a garage.
     
  4. coast15

    coast15 New Member

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    My gear shift was sticking in all gear locations on my 04 Prius also. It just stopped popping back in the "neutral" position. I am in California, so temperature was not an issue. I mentioned it to the dealer and they didn't seem too concerned but I have an extended warranty and the assembly was covered so it was replaced. I think it was some (expensive) spring that had sprung. Now it works like it used to.
     
  5. kudzuguy

    kudzuguy New Member

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    My gear shift started clicking in the summer when the temperatures were in the 90's. It has now progressed to the point that I have to "help" it back to its default location.

    I was wondering if a spring had sprung. Based on coast15's experience, I guess it has. I will have to talk to the technicians at the dealership about it before it gets stuck in drive and I can't get it out.

    I have 89,000+ miles on the car.
     
  6. rachelmkheadley

    rachelmkheadley New Member

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    Well, well. I got on the site for this exact topic. My '04 shifter started acting up. I am sad to find out that it's an (expensive) spring. But, it's the only maintenance I've had, so I'm not complaining.

    I've got 68,000 miles on mine.
     
  7. TucsonPrius

    TucsonPrius Member

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    I, too, am having the same problem. It appears that replacing the selector switch should be straightforward; a possible DIY repair.

    With that in mind, I've been trying to find the shifter listed in the numerous part catalogs on the web (I've been leery of getting a used one -- it may end up with same problem after a few months), but I just can't find it under any search term I would use (shift, gear, lever, switch, selector, etc). Any one out there know the part number?

    Thanks,
    Shawn
     
  8. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TucsonPrius @ Nov 28 2007, 06:36 PM) [snapback]545513[/snapback]</div>
    you might try 33560-47020 this is what it show's in my list. Be advised that this list is for a 2004 and is from 2004 so it might have been superceded by now. Run it past your dealers parts dept. and see what they say.
     
  9. drifty1955

    drifty1955 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(smithBYU @ Oct 1 2007, 10:47 AM) [snapback]519822[/snapback]</div>

    Based on all the posts I bet some high quality lube in the right spot will fix or at least lengthen its useful life. I'm kinda nutty about lubing things and all moving parts on my Prius are very lightly lubed. It really helps. I get the rubber under the car too. Really lengthens the life of everything. Get the manual on line and take it apart till you can get to the mechanical's of the shifter and see how it works and spray some lube in there at the right wear spot. I bet it fixes it. Also if you seeing some really cold temps is it possible to get a block heater? Maybe some intense warmth from the motor might bring that dash area above freezing a tiny bit enough to help. Good luck!
     
  10. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Drifty'sDad @ Nov 29 2007, 06:59 AM) [snapback]545639[/snapback]</div>
    it's been reported before and it's not a lube thing it's a broken spring thing.
     
  11. rachelmkheadley

    rachelmkheadley New Member

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    Not A Spring!!

    Hey, all-

    I just had my Prius in, and it was not a spring that was broken. There is a little dust cover that sits just inside the dash, and it was warped. My shifter started by clicking, and then it just moved, but didn't 'spring back' like it should, so the spring-idea made sense to me. Turns out, that it was this warped piece of plastic. And, of course, you can't just order the little plastic piece, you have to order an entire shifter ($570). I'll just risk the dust!
     
  12. TucsonPrius

    TucsonPrius Member

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    Wow! $570! Wow! Ow! Ow!

    I think I'll be taking my dash apart to see if that's the same with mine.

    By the way, Frank, thanks for the part number -- but I still can't find the part on-line.

    Thanks for the info,
    Shawn
     
  13. PA Prius

    PA Prius Active Member

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    Thanks for "search" and all of your experiences. I was driving with my 16 year old daughter this morning, she has had her permit 8 days. When we stopped she couldn't get it to got into park. She then noticed that the shifter was stuck in D and hadn't sprung back to its resting position. She tapped it back and then of course it would go into park. The clicking has also been getting worse. So, just having turned over 95,000 miles I suppose I'll need to make use of the platinum warranty afterall.

    PA P
     
  14. redrockprius

    redrockprius redrockprius

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    SmithBYU85, you might consider moving within state from Happy Valley to Dixie. Still heating up to over 100 here every day.
     
  15. flocculus

    flocculus New Member

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    I'm having the same progression of issues in my 04, of course just after 75,000 miles, when my extended warranty ran out. Anyone have a link showing me how to take this dash apart? I'm a minimal DIY-er but would like to get this piece out without going to the dealer, if that's the real key.
     
  16. flocculus

    flocculus New Member

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    Making another post so I can include a link in my next post...
     
  17. flocculus

    flocculus New Member

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    So, nevermind. I found http://www.techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/chris-dragon-dash.pdf. Thank you Chris! His instructions are great. I just skipped taking off the vent to the right of the radio but then followed his instructions through taking off the panel to the left of the radio. Didn't need to take the Park button loose. Then it was just a matter of taking off the little cover over the shifter. The handle screws off.

    The next piece in is the infamous dust cover, a roughly rectangular piece that slides horizontally with an articulating piece that rotates for the vertical movement. I tried just lubricating it, but that did not work. The left side of it apparently was not designed well and had to bend with each shift and eventually warped and stuck. I wanted to keep the dust protection of the piece so did not want to leave it out. Instead, I trimmed down the warped edge, right up to the place where the articulating piece hinges. That did the trick.

    So, for me, this was definitely not a spring issue. Just gotta take care of that warped piece. It's a pretty quick fix, and no $500!
     
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  18. sammy

    sammy New Member

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    Recently my 2004 Prius came down with the gear shifter sticking/clicking problem too...felt like a little piece of plastic had broken inside and was getting in the way of smooth shifting. But it still shifted so I figured I'd wait until the next regular service to get it looked at...BIG mistake!
    Apparently, that minor problem can (& did in my case, according to the dealer's Prius Tech) also cause a miscommunication in the computer that can lead to the early demise the battery-and it is ruined beyond being able to recharge. One day I tried to start my car and...nothing. [That day, I learned how much those "well-trained, even on Prius's " AAA towing companies don't know about getting a completely dead Prius (stuck in Parking Gear) out of a home garage and towed.]

    Repair+tow cost me $1300 US Dollars on a car with less than 23k miles. They found something else (unrelated) wrong too, but that was under warrantee. Thank goodness, because that would have cost me another $2000-3000. I can tell you, that day really shook my confidence in Toyota reliability. Still, I love my Prius!

    All this to say, fix it sooner than later in order to remain a happy camper!
     
    1 person likes this.
  19. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    Really old thread - but my wife experienced this in our 2004 this morning. It's been cooler (40°F) in the morning and she hasn't been driving in the AM for a while. Her first reaction was that the car kept shifting back to neutral.

    At this point, coming out of reverse was slow, and drive even slower, but with some minor encouragement, it would return to it's resting state. I'm going to side with the warped parts vs. springs as the shifter will move - just not easily.

    Short term I shot some WD-40 on the exterior hoping it would short term free things up - but it would seem that the plastic damage it may cause may not benefit in the long run. Sounds like I'm taking a shifter apart this weekend!
     
  20. global

    global Junior Member

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    My 04 started just started to do this at roughly 90k. I appreciate the warped plastic/bad spring discussion. Not being a car DIYer my question is whether anyone has experience convincing Toyota to fix this for free (given other recent events....)