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Ok, need a little insight on the 2005 shifting problem!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by JenVanVooren, Aug 9, 2007.

  1. JenVanVooren

    JenVanVooren Junior Member

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    Hello again,

    It has been a few weeks and a not so fun family emergency, but I am back for your advice on our 2005 and it's shifting problem.

    We have had the brake light switch removed and replaced and the dealership and just got the entire shifter assembly, which they said was the problem, and we were wondering if it was possible to install ourselves or if we should take it into the dealer again and pay 180.00 for 2 hours of labor?

    I sent Hobbit a PM about this, but the funny thing is that I was thrilled when we picked up the car the night the brake light switch was replaced because the car was not shifting itself into Neutral from Reverse at all. I thought the switch was the problem....The next morning going to work I again had no issues backing out of the driveway, but when I left work for my lunch at 1pm it went back to shifting from R to N on its own again. The funny thing is and my hubby finally agrees with me after trying it out today is that it has no issues in the morning or night at all, it is only during the nasty 90 degree hot and sticky days...Am I crazy?

    If anyone can give me an opinion about my potential craziness and then installing the shifter assembly ourselves, it would truly be appreciated. Our only worry is that the last time he did anything with wires in the car (installed DICE unit), the shifting issue began that afternoon. He doesn't want the guilt of another problem after he tries to help!

    Thanks and sorry for the delay with this.... :huh:

    Have a great weekend,

    -Jen
     
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Gotta admit I'd be hesitant to put a critical part like that in myself. If I had the instructions (maybe in repair manual or with the part) and it was essentially plug and play with just a little dash disassembly that would be fine. If it requires testing or adjustment with the scan tool then I think you're stuck shelling out the bucks to let the dealer do it.

    You've already been more patient than I could have been to have the thing fixed...I'd just pay to do it if I wasn't under warranty.

    And no, you're not crazy, temperture can affect the function of various electronic components.
     
  3. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    it's basically plug and play. it's a box with a connector on it. you pull that vent off, and there it is.

    let's see... well ours is in the shop currently (paint work) so i can't do a photo guide for you until at least tomorrow night provided it's ready to take home. and DH is off work on medical leave for a couple days and is going off to visit family... ick. let me see what i can do.
     
  4. JenVanVooren

    JenVanVooren Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Aug 9 2007, 11:35 PM) [snapback]493371[/snapback]</div>

    It is not under warranty, so as long as we don't need to run any diag scans like Evan mentioned, I think my husband is up for it...I am hoping the ECU won't require anything but plugging this new assembly in? So far this whole issue has just been complicated, so it would be wonderful if it were just plug and play!


    Galaxee....no worries! I totally appreciate the help and not to mention that it will save us $200.00. Please don't feel a rush to get pics or anything. We can wait, I wasn't going to be able to get it into the dealer until Monday, so honestly don't go out of your way for this. If you have a chance next week that would be great, but it sounds like you guys have enough going on right now.

    I hope DH is okay and that you guys have a great weekend! B)

    Thanks again,

    -Jen
     
  5. FL_Prius_Driver

    FL_Prius_Driver Senior Member

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    This is good news that the brake switch is a solution for most of the time. It may be just an adjustment away from being the solution all of the time. I would get down (or let the DH get down) and see if the brake switch is fully depressed when the brake is not pushed. Then I would stop by or call the dealer and state that the problem is 90% fixed, clearly state the details (including the check you just did), and then ask could some fine tuning be needed?

    It's really hard to belive that the shifter could still be a problem when most of it was solved by the initial brake switch repair. Your patience has resulted in getting the right part identified so far.
     
  6. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    Well .. the shifter is just a block of stuff with some connectors on
    it. Saw several units sitting on the shelves at Autobeyours, in
    fact. It's basically a set of X and Y sense coils that pick up
    lever motion, and some output electronics, and it pretty much ALL
    connects over to the hybrid ECU. A heat-related problem in the
    shifter's electronics is plausible. A heat-related problem in the
    hybrid ECU itself is also plausible, but to try and avoid being
    pessimistic, I'd hope that it might even be a minor wiring thing that
    got jiggled in the process of the brake switch work and became very
    slightly more solid. Best case is that you'd find that to be true
    and wind up with two perfectly good shifter units, and be able to
    sell one for what you spent on it.
    .
    There are some diag tests that one *can* do on the shifter output
    voltages, but not necessary -- if the thing works reliably, then one
    can be pretty sure it's producing the right things. [These could
    also be measured/scoped over at the hybrid ECU to make sure it's all
    connected and clean in the physical domain..]
    .
    _H*
     
  7. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    okay. you will need:
    philips head screwdriver
    5/16" socket
    a ratchet and extension

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    that vent cover will come off the same way the first one does, and you can either disconnect the connectors in there or what i did was push it out of the way.

    that's the major part, getting the dash apart. DH has the camera and my phone doesn't seem to want to send a pic to my email address. the shifter assy is held in by 3 bolts, a 5/16" socket will fit. (toyotas use metric, i didn't have metric sockets here.) make sure you've got a ratchet extension, you'll need it to fit in there. and no, you don't want to use one of those small home power tool-ish things, that's what i've got and trust me it's not tough enough to take one of those out. unless you've got a real makita laying around ;)

    it should pull out once the bolts are out, and i knew there are two connectors that need to be disconnected. the rest is all the reverse of the disassembly.

    hope that helps!
     
  8. kohnen

    kohnen Grumpy, Cranky Senior Member

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    Can we please try NOT to use the word "insight" on this board? :blink:
     
  9. Bear68

    Bear68 Member

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    OOhhh I just gotta say it!!!! Hey Galaxee !!!!!! What kind of Toyota Tech uses 5/16!!!!! Grab that Snap On 10mm!!! Metric!!! Yayy Metric!!!!! Lets hear it for the millimeters!!!! :blink:





    Yes, it is Friday night and I don't have to work tomorrow and the Grey Goose has been pouring...... :rolleyes:
     
  10. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    hey now, i'm the tech's wife and i don't have a metric set at home, it's just some cheapie miscellaneous non-metric home tool set. the 5/16 was the closest i could get my hands on that fit! the real matco (cough, not snap on, don't go there :p) tools are all locked up in his toolbox at work.

    i pointed that out too.
    here i am home alone, nobody else to worry about, don't have to be anywhere till noon tomorrow. maybe i should break out the vodka tonight too.
     
  11. Bear68

    Bear68 Member

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    Awww well.... every so often there is a bolt whose size is exactly ... Crescent Adjustable!!! If that doesn't work grab an air hammer! ( we actually have a tech who seems to use an air hammer for amost anything, including oil changes... :p )








    Long live the russian lubricant!!

    Though I must add, your instructions are dead on spot and the pics were excellant!!
     
  12. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    you get a crescent in there on those shifter assy bolts and i'll buy your next bottle of grey goose. :)

    the pics were from another project, i stole em from our archives. i pick up a thing or 2 from hubby, you could say i spend a little time at the shop.
     
  13. Priusaurus110

    Priusaurus110 Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Aug 10 2007, 06:32 PM) [snapback]493755[/snapback]</div>
    *********************************************

    Galaxee: even though this was not a problem with my car, let me say THANK YOU for taking the time to lay out this step-by-step tutorial. It's folks like you that keep me coming back to PC!
     
  14. JenVanVooren

    JenVanVooren Junior Member

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    Galaxee,


    Thanks a MILLION! I printed off your wonderful step-by-step diagram and am READY to get this installed. We have had a rough couple of weeks, so that is the only reason I haven't posted to thank you sooner. We lost a family member, the hubby has had job issues, and we had a planned remodel of our house begin last week, so I think this week we will finally be able to tackle replacing the shifter assembly. Unfortunately the car has sat for the majority of the past two weeks. I REALLY miss driving it!

    Again, thanks so much. I really appreciate the walkthrough and more importantly the time you have taken to help us out. I will post again when (fingers crossed) we get the shifter assembly in.


    Have a great week,

    Jen :)
     
  15. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    Jen, i'm sorry to hear about your rough times. i totally understand. we've had a rather bumpy year ourselves, so you're among friends here. best of luck, let us know how that replacement goes!

    actually come to think of it, i might even be able to show ya the last couple steps since DH brought his makita home with him yesterday. ;)
     
  16. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    5/16" is near enough to 8 millimetres
    Good luck with the shifter.
    I'm not keen on the swap it and see method but you might just nail it.
    Thanks for the rundown on the dash strip down. It all looks kinda backward to me.
    How does the vent cover come off please? Not really explained.
     
  17. Bear68

    Bear68 Member

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    Best educated guess.... I would start with the shifter assembly since you have it already. Install is not difficult. If your DH did the DICE unit, then he was 90% there already! Double check that the shifter's connector plug didn't simply get knocked loose or have a wire pinched or tugger loose during the DICE install. Occum's Razor= The simplest answer is usually the correct one.