Transmission issue is stumping mechanics across CO

[raytseng]

Question is if it's just the shift lock solenoid, or something else with the transmission or maybe multiple problems?

To take the shift lock out of the question, you can just wad up a piece of paper and put it in override which keeps the override switch down. (Don't allow kids or animals to be unattended in your car, as this is a safety issue.

I had the shift lock solenoid go bad on my 1998 lexus sedan. It started giving me symptoms first where I couldn't shift some of the time, or would get stuck halfway, and eventually gave up entirely. so these do go bad over time but can start with intermittent problems.
I believe for any Toyota replacing the shift-lock solenoid would be about a $100 part and 1hr of labor to replace.

 

[BGreen]

I've read a little on ih8mud but haven't signed up yet to post. And yeah, Slee will be the next stop if I can't get it done "locally." (Yeah, Slee is only 20 min away, but in a perfect world I would stick with my long-time shop down the street.)

I don't think Slee does general mechanic stuff, but he's seen it all and can advise on likely problems. Not sure where you are, but there are threads on mud about preferred Toyota shops. There might be someone near you who can help.

 

[Dave Marshak]

This is the worst kind of car problem. The ultimate solution will be replacing some switch or solenoid or ground connection, but you will spend $$$$$$$$ before anyone figures that out.

Good luck.

dm

 

[SBrown]

Question is if it's just the shift lock solenoid, or something else with the transmission or maybe multiple problems?

To take the shift lock out of the question, you can just wad up a piece of paper and put it in override which keeps the override switch down. (Don't allow kids or animals to be unattended in your car, as this is a safety issue.

I had the shift lock solenoid go bad on my 1998 lexus sedan. It started giving me symptoms first where I couldn't shift some of the time, or would get stuck halfway, and eventually gave up entirely. so these do go bad over time but can start with intermittent problems.
I believe for any Toyota replacing the shift-lock solenoid would be about a $100 part and 1hr of labor to replace.

Would this trigger an error code?

This is the worst kind of car problem. The ultimate solution will be replacing some switch or solenoid or ground connection, but you will spend $$$$$$$$ before anyone figures that out.

Yeah, that's what I gather!

 

[raytseng]

on my 98 the shift lock solenoid dying did not trigger a code.

 

[mdf]

Sorry. but here is a disheartening tale of how hard it can be to find electrical intermittents in a vehicle.
My wife's car was flooded in a thunderstorm last fall, when the storm drains in a parking lot were blocked by fall leaves.
I made the mistake of drying it out rather than letting nature take its course: pulled the seats and carpet, ran fans and a dehumidifier in it for several days. It seemed fine, but then the check engine light came on. Took it in; seemed to be fixed. Then it came back. Fixed again. More lights came on. Third try. Eventually the insurance company agreed to gut it and completely replace the electronics and wiring harness in the whole car -- a couple weeks and several thousand dollars.

But... it has been fine since then, knock on wood-look plastic laminate.

 

[neonorchid]

Sorry. but here is a disheartening tale of how hard it can be to find electrical intermittents in a vehicle.
My wife's car was flooded in a thunderstorm -

- Eventually the insurance company agreed to gut it and completely replace the electronics and wiring harness in the whole car -- a couple weeks and several thousand dollars.

Flood damage, I'm surprised insurance didn't total the car.

 

[SBrown]

Well, since the last time I posted, I found and purchased another car, something I've been looking for the past few months, without much luck. So I guess you win some and you lose some ....

 

[mdf]

Flood damage, I'm surprised insurance didn't total the car.

Well, if I had left it alone to mold up, they probably would have. I did a very good job of drying it out.

 

[neonorchid]

Well, since the last time I posted, I found and purchased another car, something I've been looking for the past few months, without much luck. So I guess you win some and you lose some ....

Hey, it's as I said, when you've hung onto a vehicle that long with few to no major repair bills, they don't owe you anything!

Best of luck with the new one

P.S., thanks again for starting the thread. Got me thinking about the Yota in my garage and what to do about it.

 

[SBrown]

Hey, it's as I said, when you've hung onto a vehicle that long with few to no major repair bills, they don't owe you anything!

Best of luck with the new one

P.S., thanks again for starting the thread. Got me thinking about the Yota in my garage and what to do about it.

Thanks ... my son had been driving a manual 2004 Saab 9-3 for the past 5 years or so; it was stolen at Christmas, then recovered, but trashed to the point of being totaled. He really liked that car, so we were trying to find another. (He was driving the Land Cruiser in the meantime.) It's not easy finding a manual Saab, period, out here, much less one with less than 100K on it. They exist on the East Coast, but I wasn't really keen on going long distance for it.

But bam, one showed up in Denver. It's a 2007 with 48K, 6sp manual, clean as a whistle. Includes 4 extra tires (snows). Very fair price. It's in the driveway now. I think I made the seller's head spin, I bought it so fast.

 

[VickieH]

I think I made the seller's head spin, I bought it so fast.

Kinda made mine spin too. I saw this ...

Well, since the last time I posted, I found and purchased another car

... and checked your prior post. In 6 hours and 15 minutes, you went from having a vehicle with an unknown problem to having a new one. I was thinking someone should advise @RBrown that it may be okay to get sick, but he'd better make sure he doesn't get any hard-to-diagnose problems.

 

[Ken_R]

 

[SBrown]

Kinda made mine spin too. I saw this ...



... and checked your prior post. In 6 hours and 15 minutes, you went from having a vehicle with an unknown problem to having a new one. I was thinking someone should advise @RBrown that it may be okay to get sick, but he'd better make sure he doesn't get any hard-to-diagnose problems.

haha! Well, I still have the Land Cruiser, the other car was for the kid. The LC is an extra vehicle now, but kid was using it since his was gone. The nice thing is that now we are back to five cars so this lessens the urgency of getting the LC figured out. Yesterday was spent rearranging all the extra tires in the garage. Good grief.

 

[Bill Talbot]

haha! Well, I still have the Land Cruiser, the other car was for the kid. The LC is an extra vehicle now, but kid was using it since his was gone. The nice thing is that now we are back to five cars so this lessens the urgency of getting the LC figured out. Yesterday was spent rearranging all the extra tires in the garage. Good grief.

A tire quiver is just as important as a ski quiver... you have to get to the mountain to ski it!

 

[James]

Just take all the tires and line the driveway with them. Storag problem solved and safety barier created. You're in Colo so mosquitos shouldn't be an issue. Be sure to spray lots of armor all on them. When the neighbors complain, call up the local newspaper and tell them you're selling air rights over the garage to Verizon for a cell tower. Who cares about tires now??

On other trucks people used to take the shift interlock solenoid and grind off the little rod that prevented the shifter from moving if not in park with brake etc. That would cure one problem but not the others. Seems like it's either the remaining sensors or more likely as Josh suggested the ecu for the trans. I once had a seat ecu with corroded battery in it. When you adjusted the seat back, the side view mirror would move! But that was mid 90's English electronics which is like saying the late 70's. (There's a reason the English don't make cars anymore. Race cars ok, you can see if too many people are off drinking tea.).

 

[Tricia]

haha! Well, I still have the Land Cruiser, the other car was for the kid. The LC is an extra vehicle now, but kid was using it since his was gone. The nice thing is that now we are back to five cars so this lessens the urgency of getting the LC figured out. Yesterday was spent rearranging all the extra tires in the garage. Good grief.

Don't forget to leave space for the rims coming in a few weeks.

 

[SBrown]

Just take all the tires and line the driveway with them. Storag problem solved and safety barier created. You're in Colo so mosquitos shouldn't be an issue. Be sure to spray lots of armor all on them. When the neighbors complain, call up the local newspaper and tell them you're selling air rights over the garage to Verizon for a cell tower. Who cares about tires now??

I was thinking maybe an obstacle course in the backyard. We have 16 spares, that would be a decent workout.

 

[SBrown]

Don't forget to leave space for the rims coming in a few weeks.

 

[Sibhusky]

The tire thing is familiar. At one point we had five vehicles, all with seasonal swaps. Then, over time, some of the tires were replaced and we didn't shed the old versions when that happened. The old Audi has three stacks (maybe four?) of associated tires in addition to the ones on it. Cannot wait to give all that to any new owner. The tire store will dispose of them for me at a buck a tire if I end up junking the car.