Gear shifter sticks and park button fails

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

<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 Be advised that this list is for a 2004 and is from 2004 so it might have been superceded by now.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.

 

<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!

 

<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.

 

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!

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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

 

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!

 

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!

 

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....)