Immediate help needed - won't come out of park - is there a manual override on a 2004 double cab

2004 double cab (auto transmission) - the tail lights and dash lights went out today. So I know I have an electrical problem.

However, I pulled into my parking stall (I park in a garage) and know the transmission lever won't shift from park to any other gear. I am sure another electrical item went out -

Is there a manual override to get the truck out of park?

Thanks - Bob

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/stuck-locked-in-park.89390/

 

Check the STOP fuse.

 

it happens when the brake light switch goes bad or the brake light fuse blows.

pop the little snap on cap doo-hicky next to the "P" on the shift marker, pull that small white thingy back to the rear and then you can shift it into gear. as soon as you put it in park it locks again so you have to pull the thingy again each time until you replace the fuse or fix the brake light switch.

there is an electrical release for it so you have to have your foot on the brake pedal before you can shift it but if the fuse is blown, this locking "safety trigger" cant release it

hope that helps

 

Thanks for the info and the link - Good to know that the little cover on the left side of the auto transmission shifter is the manual lock out - just pop of the cover and push the little white plastic bit down to make it shift.

I did have trailer wiring and I pulled it - one of those that plugs into the lights and then has a little box to send signals to the trailer wiring. I'd like to learn more what went wrong with that wiring and if it is the ground then I'd like to hear what solutions people used? I used a self tapping screw into the frame, scraped the metal bare when I did the install in the spring of 2016 and used shrink wrap on the connector.

I had two fuses that were blown - the first was under the hood that controls the dash and running lights (along with brakelights) and one inside the cab that controlled the brakelights and transmission lockout (#26 iirc).

Appreciate the quick responses since where I park I am on the corner, so I had my neighbor parked in when the transmission auto lock fuse blew.

Any suggestions on grounding best practices and or trailer wiring recommendations? - I used this wiring harness from etrailer - http://www.etrailer.com/Custom-Fit-...Tacoma/2004/118379.html?vehicleid=20041176458

I still need a trailer wiring but after reading a few of these link I didn't realize how common the issue was.

Thanks again - Bob

 

those connectors can go bad over time, and unless you can find the factory wiring with isolated circuit it's your only option. I've had one go bad but not to the extreme as you.

 

Curious why this is in immediate need of help when you could have searched for the issue and b nobody is actually in harms way

 

The reasons for immediate help request was that I was blocking a neighbors vehicle in the parking garage when the second fuse blew. I am blessed with the "corner" parking spot in the garage which means that if I don't pull all the way into the stall the car on the other corner can't exit. Owner of that vehicle is a nice but very nervous elderly woman that I didn't want to inconvenience.

Plus, my initial searches on the forum for terms like transmission stuck in park; manual override for automatic transmission didn't provide any obvious results - the link shared above only comes up on the specific search terms "stuck in park".

Until I read the thread shared by DustStorm4x4 I wouldn't have tracked the root of the problem to the trailer wiring. I picked up on that thread while I was in the parking garage going over blown fuses when the forum notified me of a response.

Saved me lots of time troubleshooting and going into the towing section of the forum, there are more threads on the failure of the plug and play trailer wiring.

I didn't include that I did end up driving for more than an hour with dash lights, running lights and rear tail/brake lights out. Didn't realize their was even a problem until the sun was going down and I flipped the headlights on - stopped to buy fuses, and knew something was really wrong (and more complex) when the replaced fused immediately blew - just didn't want to spend time troubleshooting at the local truck stop.

 

there's usually an emergency switch that unlocks the shift knob in case the vehicle needs to be towed. it should be the little slot right above the P. you can usually stick your key in it and it releases the shifter.

 

well its a little bit of work but if you are willing, this is a easy lifetime fix so you never have a bad trailer light wiring connection again that is because the box went bad.

the boxes have useless and unnecessary transistors in them and they are always the problem.

if you can do basic wire soldering, follow these directions below and if you want to save $10 on buying them, the old diodes can be removed from the old trailer light wiring connection box by prying/splitting it open and they can be unsoldered from that box.

see instructions on the trailer light mod here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-easy-10-trailer-lights-plugin-fix.347862/

 

If my truck was stuck in park, I would want some help pretty dam quick as well.

 

Thanks for the info on the diodes as a more permanent fix. I am going to tear into that box tonight and see what is inside, since it would be nice to re-use the plug and play wiring. I would like to figure out if I could create a separate circuit to power the plug and play wiring with the diodes, since even with the diodes you are relying on the trucks wiring circuits and blowing a fuse takes out more than just the power to the trailer lights.

Really appreciate the info and diagram above. Thanks Bob

 

hey, in my mind "immediate help needed..." followed by an actual explanation of need in the title is commendable.

threads simply titled "HELP!!!?!" bug me.

 

haha ^^^ this.

And it's usually somebody wanting help with their stereo or something...