Sticky Tranny Shifter 2006 Auto 6 cyl.

Hey guys..... Every now and then "outta the blue", my automatic tranny shifter is real stiff and it's hard to move it into gear, or thru the gears.... This happens at random times...summer/winter. Not related to freezing....

I've checked the cable under the center console and it's greased well and nothing wrong there....

I have also noticed that when this stickiness happens, I am unable to set the cruise control, and sometimes the dash display will show 3rd gear when I pull it into 1st gear.....

This has happened 4 or 5 times and clears itself up on it's own.....

I'm at a loss on this one....

Anyone have this happen?....

 

The "problem" cleared up as fast as it started...(3 days later)... It's fine now.

I'm totally confused on this one.... I'm thinking it's a computer "brain fart" or something...

Well...we'll see when it happens again.....

Cheers for now guys...

Over60

 

The problem is back and my wife could hardly move the gear shift this morning.... I was scared that I'd break something too.....

Really weird....

I've had the cable checked from the shift lever to the tranny... It's is not that..

I think I got a tranny issue about to happen....

I'm thinking I'm gonna disconnect the battery cable and let it sit and think about all the problems it is giving me.... and then hook it back up and see what happens....

I'll let ya'll know..

over...

 

Looks like I'm getting closer to solving the mysterious "sticky shifter" syndrome.....

It was -25 degrees here this morning and I went out to move the truck to clean the driveway... He started up right away, but it felt like I was gonna break the shift lever trying to put it into gear....... I was able to get it into gear and move the truck....let it warm up while cleaning driveway...

No change when I moved him back into driveway....

Remember earlier I said that the cruise control will not set and the dash lights that indicate the gears, do not work properly, when this condition happens???

So...I figure I've got a computer brain fart or something going on intermittently....

I pulled the negative battery cable and left the truck for 10 minutes... put in back on and started it up..... I let it run to reset the "puter" and in a few minutes, the shifter was like new again.... moves like greased lightning, even though it's still -20 C outside....

Are there any Toyota Techs on here? Have you ever heard of such a thing?

Over....

 

Thanx man... I'll check that out.... but my shifter does move when I step on the brake pedal... it just is really stiff....

I think I've narrowed it down to a computer (electrical) problem, as the battery disconnect fixed it right away....

I asked Toyota Canada what might be the problem and got "go see your dealer"..... I responded with "they do NOT know what the F..k is going on...can you help me?... Please read what I posted as my issue....

Their response..... "we cannot diagnose your problem over the internet"...and "we are not about to take the time to read your posts to try and understand the issue"...

(go F..K yourself") is basically what they said... What an asshole Customer Service department..!!!!

Great service from a company that Canada just loaned $14,000,000.00 to... so they can start producing their hybrid Lexus in Ontario....

My issue is very rare from what I've seen.... and I thought maybe Toyota Canada might have heard of it, cause the dealer has not... They do not seem to care....

It looks like a Honda Ridgeline for my next truck.....

Over

 

try another dealer :-/

How many miles? Maybe time for trans fluid change?

 

X2

Especially since your cruise control won't work when you're experiencing the problem. The only thing I find odd is that you're still able to move the shift lever, although difficult. Whenever I had a brake light switch go bad (wife's MDX) I never forced it into gear and instead used the by-pass. If it is impossible to get into gear in the future, I suggest going this route because it should be available.

I'm hoping this is it, as it should be a relatively easy/quick fix.

 

Trans fluid change or possible linkage getting hung up somewhere.

 

Thanx for your advice guys.... It's not the switch to get it out of park... that works fine..... It feels like the cable is frozen or rusted when it happens...the shift lever is so hard to move that I'm afraid to break something....(but it does move with a LOT of pressure)

But by disconnecting the battery, everything clears up after letting it idle for a few minutes (I assume the computer resets itself and fixes the issue)...

The shifter moves like greased lightning today....and it's -25 C... Definitely NOT the cold or lubrication...

I've got 85,000KMS on her and am planning a fluid change in the spring.. This in a totally random and INTERMITTENT issue... That's the real problem diagnosing it.

I'm convinced the computer somehow controls the transmission and the computer is having "brain farts" every now and then...

Confusing, eh?

Over

 

Maybe a fix has been found.... 3 weeks ago my original 2006 battery failed at -35 C.... would not start the truck... (cheap crap Toyota parts, eh?).. it only lasted 7 years....

Anywhoo.... I had noticed that at times when I went to start the truck... the clock had "zeroed" itself and the odometer trip 1 and 2 were zero'ed as well... (just like when you disconnect the battery).... The battery only failed me once and I got a new and better one.....

No more issues..... the tranny shifter works like it's got Eel snot on it... slides like new and has not given me an issue since.....

Maybe the weak battery was the issue that was causing the computer to have some sort of "brain fart" that caused the sticky tranny shifter..??? Hell...I don't friggin' know.... You'd think the Toyota techs would know but they blew me off to the local stealership (who know NOTHING)....

I'll keep an eye on this issue...if it comes back, I'll be the first to let you guys know...

 

Mine gets tight from time to time, seems to be more of an issue of winter conditions than not. Feels like a linkage is starting to bind up due to corrosion, but like you say, it goes away almost all of a sudden. Not related to battery or anything else in my case. My independent mechanic warned me that he's seen Tacoma shift linkages seize up if they're not lubed. Told me to look on top of the tranny or something and lube it, but I haven't had a chance to yet. If I find the mystery cause in my case, I'll post that up.

 

I checked all the linkage I could and lubed the shit outta it, but the way it "COMES AND GOES"...it just cannot be lack of lube..... It will be a mystery till you or I figure it out, I guess..... Mine happens in summer too... not cold related...

Thanx for the come-back.... Hope we find the problem...

You did notice that my cruise won't work when this issue happens....and some times the gear indicator light in the dash does not even light up....... That cannot be a lube issue.... I'll try everything till I find it...

Cheers buddy...

Over

 

It done it again today... Real sticky shifter...hard to move to Drive.... I get going and then checked to see if the cruise works.....NO WAY.

I then pull over....run the shifter thru the gears....It will not show the light for 2 or L (on the dash)...and is VERY stiff.....

I get going again and then when at hwy speed, I shifted from Drive to Neutral and then back into Drive...(just for a second)..then I tried the cruise....worked just fine.... when I stopped at the next light...the problem was gone... Shifter worked very smooth and the gear indicator lights showed ALL gears again...

This is VERY weird.... I think My Taco is possessed with a tranny demon or something.

I'm gonna do a "drain & fill" soon...maybe that will help!!! Maybe the tranny is low on fluid or something..?? I'm at 91,000+- Kms.

Will update ya'll after the drain/fill...

 

I've been battling this same problem for the past year or so. Strange enough, when this happens to mine the P light won't illuminate while in park, and most times when I put the selector in D, there is a 3-5 second pause before the transmission will engage. Every now and then, 4x4 won't engage either. Sometimes I have to turn the truck off and move the dial to 4wd and restart the truck to get it in 4x4. Never had an issue with cruise yet.

I'd like to get this issue solved...

 

sounds like you are the only guy with the exact same problem that I have...

The 2 of us are gonna have to figure this out, I guess....

Keep me posted....

Over60

 

Its the brake switch. Unplugging that battery probably causes the switch to start working again.
Try this.

Next time it locks up. Use the shifter override. If it works then its the brake switc, if it doesnt then its something physical.

 

Are you having the delay when switching to drive? I adjusted the neutral safety switch today and it was severely corroded and seized onto the shifting rod. After the first adjustment the shifter got really, really, stiff and all my gear selections were way off the shifter locations. My final adjustment has all but eliminated the delay I was experiencing when switching to drive. hopefully this wasnt just a fluke! I played with the adjustment a few more times but the range was limited due to it being seized. Any attempt to free the switch from the shaft will likely break the switch. I ordered a new switch today and am hoping to have in tomorrow. If not, it'll be another full week before I get a chance to try it out. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will solve my problem as the switch rotates with the shifting rod, as the switch it also used to indicate to the computer what gear range has been selected.

 

NO, I was not really having a "delay"... it's just a very hard to move shifter and the cruise will not work when this happens....also...1 and 2 gears will not engage....

I have now done a drain and refill of the tranny (it was down about 3/4 liter).. No sticky anything yet.....Shifting a little smoother though.

Still a mystery to me...

Over..

 

How did this work out for you..??

Over

 

I get a similar issue with my 05, I do not know if my cruise control is affected. But my issue will come and go sometimes its smooth and sometimes like its stuck in the mud.