Very odd happening. Prius would not shift into gear.

Did you get out of the car during the time you were trying to get it to start? I have had the same thing happen to me but found that the drivers door was not completely latched. I opened and closed the door and everything came back again.

It would be easy to simulate the problem by putting the car in park and opening the door. I'll bet you can't shift it then until you close the door.

 

I recall starting the car once and shifting into reverse with the door open. Nothing happened; the car simply went in reverse.

However, when I shifted back into drive, again with the door open, I got warnings all over the place; big red triangle and the MFD directing me to press "P" to engage park.

 

I'd still take it to the dealer. There may be an error code set, that they could read, and which might tell them something useful. It'd be a warranty issue, so it should not cost you anything but the trip there and back.

 

I had a similar problem once, too. Stopped and left the car on, got back in and it wouldn't do anything or shut off. Eventually it just "got better" and hasn't done it since.

 

Brake Pedal

Did you put your foot on the brake before attempting to shift into gear?

 

This shift-to-drive-but-only-get-neutral thing has happened when my GF turns on the car, while sitting in the passenger seat. When I get in and try to drive away, it doesn't work. It gets stuck in neutral. All the usual lights are on etc. but no warning lights. I have to shut down and restart. Reboot!?!

It seems to work fine when I start the car.

It could just be coincidence but so far every time this has happened, I was not in the driver's seat when the car was started.

Come to think of it, I'm surprised it gets that far, since would have guessed she didn't press the brake when starting the car. I'll have to ask.

 

I'd be willing to bet the car was not in the "ready" mode but in the acc. mode.

 

yep sounds like it was in acc mode too.

if you insert key and hit start button WITHOUT HITTINB BRAKE once you will get power but no ability to shift. hit the power button again and it goes to ACC mode.

this only happens when you hit power button with foot off brake. car will appear to be running but will not shift into any gear except park and neutral.

 

Oh I see, she just pressed the power twice (without the brake)? Doh! I can't believe I've gone this long without knowing this.

 

dont feel bad, i just found out how to dim the dashlights at night...

not bad after driving the car for 2 months and 3000 miles.

 

I am new to this website, I am looking for some help with the exact same problem! Unfortunately in my case it keeps occuring over and over again. The car has been to the dealer 3 times so far - the first time for over a week, they said they fixed it but did not; the second time they said they couldn't find anything wrong; the third time I had it towed in with all the warning lights on and the gears frozen in neutral, so they couldn't say "nothing is wrong" to me!) is now, it's been at the dealer's since July 20th and they said they're going to replace 2 computers. The ETA on the computers was 8/4, now it's been revised to 8/18. Meanwhile I am driving a cruddy Mitshubishi from the rental car company - uncomfortable, costs more to fill the tank, and 1/2 the mileage. And paying for a car that in the last 4 months has been out of commission close to 6 weeks.

I called toyota customer relations, they were COMPLETELY unhelpful. They said: (a) they will "research" when my parts will come. They don't know when they will get back to me with an answer, and they refused to even give me an estimate of how long that would take; (B) they will not give me a Prius to drive in the meantime; © they will not give me a new car pursuant to the California "lemon law"; and (d) there is no supervisor or higher level I can elevate my complaint to.

So I am just stuck. Any helpful suggestions, because I am really upset! The dealer is trying his best, but he apparently can't do anything to make Toyota hurry it up.

 

i would look up the lemon laws in the state which you reside.


-drew

 

Toyota will always respond better if you do it like this.
1 registered letter to Corporate Headquarters
1 registered letter to the Dealer Service Manager
1 registered letter to State Lemon Law office
lay out the nature of the problem the dates and times of the trips to the service dept and ask for a time for repairs to be completed. In the header for the letter put in CC'd to all of the above. This will get you action. Maybe not to your satisfaction but will get you a response.

 

actually, other than warning beeps i can shift with the doors open. in fact ive done it several times to demostrate that the car was on (notice i didnt say running??) and i was showing it to someone who wanted proof.

 

Back in early April I experienced a similar problem where the car could not be moved out of Neutral. It only happened twice and always corrected itself after I tried lots of combinations. I moved the fob out of my pocket, tried inserting it into the dash (thinking it might have been a electronic transmission problem between the fob and the car). I tried depressing the brake, releasing it, depressing it again. Eventually it worked after about 2 minutes of trial and error. I don't know what action on my part did the trick (if anything). The problem hasn't happened since.

The technician suggested it might have been a faulty brake switch, but that was just a guess. He suggested that I have someone see whether the brake lights were working if and when the problem recurred. No brake lights with the brake pedal depressed would suggest a faulty brake switch. And, that could result in the system failing to acknowledge that the brake was depressed so the car could be started and put into drive.

In June, I spoke with another Prius owner who also took delivery in March and experienced the same problem in the March/April time frame (cooler temperatures a factor?). It only happened twice to him. That's not much to go on I know, but I'll test out the brake switch hypothesis if it happens again. It sounds plausible.

 

Hello Arizona Charlie,

I had the SAME problem, was advised NOT to start the car in ACCESSORY MODE, i.e, push brake FIRMLY and push engine start button. Gear wlll shift! You can test this by trying to start the car WITHOUT pressing brake pedal FIRMLY, all warning lights will be lit.

The problem also seem to appear when lights are on/ high beam/AC. Turn them off, wait several seconds in between attempts to shift gear. My Toyota techs say it is NOT related to weak battery.My gut feeling battery is also a factor because one time my battery had to be boosted by tOYOTA ROAD SIDE ASSIST.

 

iF THE PROBLEM PERSISTS, i WILL REPLACE WITH A NEW BATTERY.

 

Holy Thread Resurrection Batman! This thread is 6 and 1/2 years old and Arizona Charlie hasn't posted since 2005. Do you really think he "hears" you?