Gen 2 shifts on it's own from drive into neutral!

That explains it. All those masks hanging from your shifter swaying around and bumped into over past near couple years is probably what did it. It's not designed for that... Just buy a used one online swap it out and problem solved. Probably only takes a 1/2 hour.

 

https://itstillruns.com/check-transmission-fluid-prius-6799737.html

 

Oh Oh I know this one!! Maybe? This has been happening to me too, parking outside in Wisconsin winter. The shifter is just really sticky because it's so cold. So when I shift it into D or R the knob doesn't slide smoothly back to the default position, it gets stuck near the N position which then shifts the car to N. So after shifting to D or R I have to PUSH the knob back to the default position. It's not an issue once the cabin warms up. Possibly silicone lubricant on the shifter would help, I haven't tried.

 

The lubricant that's used in there is a white grease, quite possibly run-of-the-mill white lithium grease.

The shifter is not hard to disassemble, clean the old peanut-buttery grease out of, and regrease with fresh stuff in the same spots. I would lean toward that approach over trying to indiscriminately spray some lube of a different kind into it.

 

Which objects were hanging from the shifter?

 

covid masks...

 

From the 2007 owners manual:

 

This is a much better option

 

How dare you! You aren't supposed to read the owner's manual...

 

Reminds me of little Timmy who got called to the principles office for cheating. He asked how they knew he cheated. The principle said, "Because you sat next to Jimmy and all of your answers were the same as his except on number seven, he said, 'I don't know,' and you said, 'Me neither.'"

 

I’ll be delving into this annoyance on my 08, it has never had anything hanging on th shifter, but both times it has happened have been after the weather has warmed up. Also I had just used the “ B “ we live in very hilly area of north Reno. Anyway, it was even going to neutral from reverse. The thing that helped was turning the car off, then back on a min later.
Anyone have a source for the shifter assy ?

 

Keep in mind that when the hybrid system failure gets severe enough the car will be stuck in neutral... That will come with warning lights and error codes too.

 

Yeah, I’m wanting to replace that part before that happens, just need to find one

 

They're all over ebay for about $30. Just do a search for 2008 Prius gear shift

 

Yes, thank you, I found and ordered one.

 

I had this happen to me. Culprit was a collection of black hair bands my wife was storing on the handle....I took them off...problem solved.