1st gen 2WD upper shifter is limp, broke internally? Not the bushings.

A buddy stopped by today with an 4cyl 2002 2WD Tacoma. He had his ball joints replaced with a "kit", one snapped in 6 months. LOL, I had told him to use OEM Toyota.
Anyhow, when he brought it back to get those replaced again, it seems that they yanked on the auto shifter without pushing the top button down (no side button), and now the very top plastic portion of the shifter is limp, as if it is broken in half internally? The lower half, going thru the floor that has the bushings that wear out, is solid as a rock.
I looked thru other threads, none of them talked about this upper shifter limp issue. Any idea what has been broken??

 

I guess no one ever had this issue but we resolved it today. The upper portion of the shifter has plastic under the vinyl. And, somehow the mechanic yanked, pushed, slammed on it so hard that he broke the top in half, internally.

Until I saw one apart, I wouldn't have known. And all the shifter topics here about the automatic shifter wre with them breaking in different ways.

We took a good shifter off of a 4runner and it fit perfectly. It was just the upper portion that was broken internally. Quick fix and they gave us the shifter for free.

 

Appreciate the follow up!

ugh
Want something done right…..do it yourself


Like a spring or ribbon of some sort?
Interested
Would love to see pix if you have
Thanx

 

That's crazy.. almost need pics to grasp
..You wait long enough, I'll have a 3D printable replacement shifter coming

 

Photos please. Not quite grasping the concepts. But glad you figured it out!

Q is why would someone be mangling the shifter for a ball joint replacement?

 

That's what we didn't understand. When my buddy picked it up he said "what did you guys doo to my shifter??!!", and they remarked that they just drove it in and out the shop. Someone at the shop must have tried forcing it into gear. I'll take some pics if he comes by today.