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Stuck in Park

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by depriusoto, Jul 4, 2013.

  1. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    The 02 I bought at salvage drove home but now sits in the driveway stuck in park. I consulted my owner's manual (for an 03) and found the info on the override button under the driver's side lower panel. Well, I didn't find any small postage stamp sized tab down under the steering wheel adjuster as it shows in the manual...There is a small, postage sized, louvered plate directly underneath the gear shift lever. There is something attached electrical behind it that I saw when I dropped the lower panel
    as a couple of posts suggested it was easier to find the switch with that off.
    Is that the switch or am I looking for another beneath the steering wheel?? Can anyone post a picture or point me to some online?
    Thanks in advance.
    Ed
     
  2. mlibanio

    mlibanio Member

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    It is on the under side of the plastic steering column cover about 3 inches behind the steering wheel . A small postage stamp sized tab. It is there. A small screwdriver will open it. Push the button and voila it will shift.
     
  3. mlibanio

    mlibanio Member

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    That louverrd panel is for the automatic climate control feature. It is the temperature sensor.
     
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    The lever is there under the steering column where mlibanio said. I remember trying it out when I first read about it in the manual right after buying the car. I also remember that once I knew where it was, I was able to work it without having to pry the little cover out, just by sticking my pinky around between the instrument panel and the column cover. The requirements are a skinny pinky and a moderate pain threshold.

    What I don't remember right now is whether that lever releases the interlock that keeps you from shifting out of park, or releases the interlock that keeps you from taking the key out when you're not in park. The car has both types of interlock. Maybe that lever releases both of them, I don't remember. If it's only for the key release, it won't be what you're looking for here.

    The shifter interlock is supposed to release when you have the key ON and your foot on the brake. When it's working normally, if you just turn the key ON (without going to START), and sit there pressing and releasing the brake, you'd be able to hear the interlock solenoid clicking back in the dash behind the shifter, every time you press or release the brake. Do you hear anything like that?

    If you don't, my next question might be, when you step on the brake, can someone behind the car confirm your brake lights come on?

    -Chap
     
  5. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    Thanks for IDing that for me!
     
  6. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    I looked in the morning with better light and, yup, there it was. So I removed the tab and pushed the button. Still locked up tight. No solenoid click so I am wondering if it is the brake switch. Checked the brake lights and they go when the the pedal is pushed.
     
  7. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    The parking paw is mechanically linked to the shifter handle. I'm wondering if this car is parked on a slope where the weight might be holding the paw in place?

    Bob Wilson
     
  8. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    Wish it were so. Car is parked on a flat driveway. Wondering if it a bad Shifter ECU would freeze up?
     
  9. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    The HV ECU handles all shifts. In this model, the parking paw is mechanically linked but I don't remember if linkage or cable. Mostly, inaccessible, but your problem is the steering wheel is locked?

    Bob Wilson
     
  10. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    Bob, I asked about the Shift lock ECU as it is shown on page 132/133 of the 2002 wiring diagram manual. It looks like there is a solenoid in it and I'm wondering if that could be what is frozen. The problem I'm facing is that I cannot get the shifter out of park even after pushing in the override button. The steering wheel turns freely and the key goes in and out no problem. There are no codes thrown and my scangaugeII shows 13.6 volts at idle for the little battery and SOC at 55% and HV volts at 290-300.
     
  11. 3prongpaul

    3prongpaul Hybrid Shop Owner, worked on 100's of Prius's

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    Gen1's have a mechanical shift cable.
    If you press the hidden button/lever with your finger after removing the "postage stamp" cover under steering column, shifter should easily move.

    You can put a Gen1 into neutral without any power, ECUs or key availability.

    Note, you still have to press the release button down on the shifter itself.

    If you cannot get any further take apart the dash and look at the shift cable and mechanical bits. Something is mechanically wrong....hopefully it's under the dash and not inside the tranny.
     
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  12. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    Thanks for the information. I will take out the dash panels and check the shift cable and mechanical bits to see if its messed up.
    I'm still curious though about what the shifter ECU actually controls with the solenoid.
     
  13. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    3prong's right, I had misremembered. The hidden lever in the steering column will release the shift lock, as I just confirmed on my own car. If you push that lever upward all the way, while pushing the release button on the shifter itself, you should be able to shift out of park, even with the ignition off, even with no key inserted.

    The way the interlock seems to work is by preventing the shifter button being pressed, so please compare and report back to us: with ignition OFF, no key inserted, how far can you press in the shifter button when you are not lifting the release lever on the steering column, compared to how far the shifter button can be pressed while the release lever on the column is lifted? It should feel as if the shifter button is blocked (less than 1 mm travel or so) in the first case. With the release lever lifted (if you're doing it right) you should be able to press the button much farther.

    While we're at it, you might also make the same comparison, how far the button travels with the key ON but while not pressing the brake pedal, compared to how far with the key ON and the brake pedal depressed. If the button feels locked in the first case but not the second, then the interlock seems to be working even if the solenoid click is not clearly audible.

    Now we will have narrowed the problem into either "I can't press the shifter button at all and therefore the shifter won't move" or "I can press the shifter button under the proper conditions, but even then the shifter still won't move out of park." That will help determine a next step.

    -Chap
     
  14. MPGnutcase

    MPGnutcase Active Member

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    That's why you don't buy a salvage car especially a Pri to high tech
     
  15. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    :DWe'll see how disastrously complicated this turns out to be once the OP has invested another 60 seconds or so in observing the problem....

    -Chap
     
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  16. 3prongpaul

    3prongpaul Hybrid Shop Owner, worked on 100's of Prius's

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    If you get a great deal to start, like to tinker, and can use a computer (aka read stuff on PriusChat) a Gen1 can be a super deal and a fun project....but you'll have to invest some time and learn new things. Fixing broken cars is not a hobby that everyone enjoys.
     
  17. 3prongpaul

    3prongpaul Hybrid Shop Owner, worked on 100's of Prius's

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    If it's dark enough you'll see the brake reflection in the rear window from the center brake light, no helper required. (assuming the center bulb is not burned out)
     
  18. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    As per suggestions I tried all combinations of pushing in the release button under the steering wheel and pushing the shifter all the way up as I attempted to depress the button. There was no change that I could detect in the shifter button. Whether the car was turned on or off, whether the parking brake was on or off, whether I depressed the brake pedal or not - no change. Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.

    To MPGnutcase - welcome to the great world of Prius owners. You'll find there are great people who share their knowledge and experience as you can see from the comments to my questions. I've been a part of Prius online groups since before I bought my first GEN1 December of 2002. It is a wonderful ride.

    Note everybody: For at least 30 years I collected 1942 DeSotos. I realized about 10 years ago that it was a hobby that was beyond my financial resources to participate in. Parts were scarce, the old time mechanics were dying off at an alarming rate and I was in love with a make that had very few models that would give any return on the investment to restore it. It was purely a labor of love.

    I've transferred that addiction to the GEN 1 Prius. It is admittedly a much more mechanically complicated car then a 1942 DeSoto. But is is also a smarter car that can provide information on its condition. Parts are readily available, there is vibrant community of enthusiasts, the manufacturer is still in business and the mechanics are not dying off (at least not from old age). So I have a new project car that I intend to get back on the road. Eventually! <BG>
     
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  19. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    UPDATE
    After taking out the panels, removing the airbag (disconnect 12v battery!) and the steering wheel, we were able to see how it is all put together.
    There is a cable(?) inside the shift lever that connects the button on the shifter to the selector assembly that is mounted on the steering column. This is where the pawl is that the emergency button overrides when it is pushed.
    There are plastic parts and springs that make up the override and the whole assembly looks complicated to take opff and bench repair. There is precious little information on it in the repair manual so I suspect it is a replace only repair.

    As we worked with this it became clear there is some wear in the bushings(?) inside the unit. I can wiggle the handle (like with wheel bearings) and there is play. There may be an exterior adjustment to take out the play but who knows?

    So what did the trick and enabled us to get the car out of park? WD-40. Spraying WD-40 carefully down the sides of the shift button so that it made its way down the lever handle provided the lubrication so that the cable(?) didn't bind up. I'll be road testing the car over the weekend and see if this fixes the problem.

    Ed
     
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  20. Laura Larsen

    Laura Larsen New Member

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    what is the best way to pop the cover off under the steering column?