Replaced broken stereo, parking (pawl) button doesn't engage after work

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by SunTzuTech, Aug 18, 2025 at 12:05 PM.

  1. SunTzuTech

    SunTzuTech New Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    A friend's 2015 gen 3 Prius has had a busted stereo screen for a couple of years. His wife had a hard stop and a chair ran into the stereo (least it didn't hit her)

    I found a replacement and ordered it, using a YouTube video to do the replacment.

    (Pop out the park/hazard panel, the long panel, the panel around the stereo, and the power button)
    I had to remove the black and white cable from the park/hazard panel so I could get the rest of the pieces out.

    The stereo replacement went well, and put everthing back the way it was taken out.

    The problem I'm running into is that the parking button next to the gearshift no longer engages the parking mode (not parking brake). They have a drive-thru zoo that they like to use, and it became apparent that the parking button not working became a real problem, requiring him to turn off the car to engage the parking mode.

    I popped it back off this morning and reseated the white connector (Can see that the white connector has cables that goes to the parking pawl button). It does glow green when the car is is in "park".

    Ideas?

    Ben
     
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Mar 3, 2012
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    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I do know that in Gen2 you get a special error code for voltage issue with that switch when that button is unplugged... So maybe try unplugging it and seeing if you get an error code? And for bonus points, if you have someone with a gen3 you can borrow that button from the vehicle and see if that helps? Or you could buy that button for cheap at a nearby auto wrecker...

    In general, it's very rare for that button to fail... But if turning off the car always engages the parking pawl without issue then it seems to be pointing towards that button not working properly.