2006 Tacoma DC Sport dies when you put it in PARK

My Tacoma developed an odd problem today. I was driving home and when I stopped at the curb to get out and get the mail I put the SHIFTER between "D" drive and "P" park and I jumped out. It was then that I realized that the engine had actually died. Fast forward, now most everytime I place the transmission into PARK the engine dies.

It behaves almost as iff you were turning off the key. If I slowly move the the shifter from "R" to "D" as I move the the shifter towards PARK, the "R" light goes out, the REVERSE picture on the Pioneer HU goes out. As I keep moving it towards "P" the RPM will increase from 600rpm to 700rpm and then as I keep moving as soon as the "P" light illuminates the engine just dies. If I move the shifter back and forth thru this position I can get the engine to stumble to about 200rpm and then it catches itself. But if you just go from "R" to "P" the engine dies.

Second issue. For the most part the engine will restart just fine. A couple of times it has been hard to start where it turns over and acts like it is just not getting enough fuel to start. Once or twice in park it will start and then stumble and catch itself and then stumble and then catch itself, etc.

But my guess it does sounds like something that is electrical, but that is my guess.

Any ideas or anyone have this before?

Mark

 

Park safety switch short

 

Today, I had some new discoveries. This morning about 7am I drove to the gym. The OAT was about 34 degrees and it was about 44 degrees in the garage when I left. I tried going from R to P several times on the way to the gym and no problems. It was about a 3 mile drive and mostly downhill. I was in the gym for 2 hours so the truck sat out in the cold (34 degrees) and then I drove home 3 mils, mostly uphill and again no problems. I 3 pointed to back into the garage and tried going into Park each time and again, no problems. Except once in the garage when I put it in P it died.

So I wonder if the NSS is temperature sensitive? I drove around and run errands and it was still failing. I then drove out to my brothers house and had him help me look at it. We also hooked up a code reader and it initially showed on P0340 and P0345 codes but no P0705 codes. Then we gave it a wiggle or two while I was moving the gear selector thru the gears and then the truck died and this time it threw the P0340 and P0345 codes and ALSO threw the P0705 code. I cleared all the codes and verified that they were all done and did the same test and again got those 3 codes again.

Later in the day after the truck sat for a while again, it behaved normal. The simple code reader I had would not show AT temp, wish it did.

I looked at the sensor at AUTOZONE and it is $248. REALLY? Yes, really! I'm not really ready to throw a $248 part at the problem. Anthony250f, have you personally had this issue?

If the NSS was really having issues, wouldn't it cause the vehicle to NOT START, not CUT OFF when going into PARK? It doesn't seem it would cause an engine to die, it's job is to keep the starter from being engaged if not in P or N.

Any ideas on where to get this PART for a cheaper price?

Does this thing have any electronics in it or is it just a simple switch?

Thanks in advance guys.

Here is a pic of the NSS:
http://[ATTACH=full]2193375[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=full]2193375[/ATTACH]

 

New part is on the way via AMAZON, should be delivered this week. But of course it hasn't acted up for a few days! But the last time it did act up it was throwing P0705 codes and sometimes when put in "R" it would also light up "D", which would throw the code. So it is going to get replaced anyhow.

 

Well, true to form, the new part got here but it hasn't been "Dying" when I put it in "P" but it has still been lighting up the "R" and "D" when I put it in "R" and then that of course will throw a code.

So today, my gracious, most awesome brother and I climbed under in his heated garage and I pulled the BOLT off, then I unbent the tangs of the washer and removed the nut that goes over the transmission shaft, then undid the wiring plug. Then no matter what I could do, the stupid thing would not come off the shaft, it wouldn't even budge!!! WD-40, other gunk stuff, pry with a screw driver behind, on the side, NOTHING. We took a trip to harbor freight with the new part in tow to see if we could come up with something that would help us get it off. We came home with a 2 jaw puller and a c clamp and still nothing. CRAP, what to do. Plus I had busted the tangs off the part that goes over the selector shaft so we were committed. Finally, Finally using some barn yard engineering, I was able to pass some bailing wire behind the part, then we extend it out past the frame and out to behind the front wheel. Then wrapped it around a 4 foot piece of 1x2 lumber so we could put some tension on the part. Still not budging. Then using a trick our Dad showed us many years ago, we need to WHACK it with a hammer. Only problem was you cant get a hammer in there to bang on it. So next best, get out the AIR CHISEL and put on a blunt tip. Then with my Brother applying tension I put the air chisel on the shaft and pulled the trigger. That finally did it and we were able to get the part off. I touched up the shaft with some emery cloth and with a file to make sure it was good. Then put the new part on right? WRONG, now it will only go on 1/4" and now won't come back OFF! AWE CRAP!!! Got it back off and now I'm so nervous that I don't want to put the new one one!!! I removed the nut, everything, it won't go on, but yet it is the exact part. Well, OK, get a long bar so my brother can tap on the bottom of the part, I'm tapping on the top of the part and finally it goes back on. I put in the hold down bolt, put on the nut and we adjust it a little bit and make sure it starts in "N" and "P" and the backup lights work in "R". And we call it DONE! HOLY COW. A 3 hour project! Wonder what the Stealership charges.

Anyone else have any better luck?

 

I have read these horror stories before about the removal of that Satan spawn of a switch. Good that you got it and are doing fine now. It is always that job that looks easy that bites you in the gonads.

 

Can you post a link to the part you bought? And did you take any pictures?

 

I am a little late to the game

Shifter stuck in park http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...ven-override-park-lock-solenoid-failed-2.html

STICKY SHIFTER / SHIFTER IS HARD TO MOVE
Most of us would disconnect the shifter cable from the transmission lever and then verify the cable is free by hopping in the truck and moving the shifter from park to low . We should feel nothing because the shifter cable is no longer connected to the transmission . If the shifter is still tight to move , we know that the issue resides in the cable or the plastic shifter cover . A quick lube job is going to fix that up .

Next , with the shifter cable removed from the transmission lever , try and manually move that transmission lever by hand . You should feel click , click , click and it should be fairly easy to move with your hands . If you cant move it by hand , remove the PRNDL switch shown on page 16 at this link , it shows the switch in question . Spray the heck out of it . Some guys actually have to replace the PRNDL switch becuase of corrosion .The PRNDL switch gets very tight when it corrodes http://www.toyotatundraforum.com/pdf/A750E.pdf

When the switch is removed , you can spray the seal on the transmission that sits behind the switch to see if there are additional problems with the lever shaft since the lever shaft is also known to corrode .
, then take a small screwdriver and pry the lever seal away from the shifter selector shaft enough to blast some lubricant between the seal until you get the lever to move by hand .Might have to work it back and forth a little but its going to free up . You should have the wheels blocked when you do this .Both of these issues are very common

Next , place the transmission gear shifter in park and " REMOVE THE KEY "
Throw the key on the drivers seat until your done .
Go to rear of truck and manually push it by hand to verify the truck is actually in park . Go back under the truck and check to see if the shifter cable lines up perfectly with the hole in the transmission lever . If it doesnt line up , adjust the shifter cable until it fits perfectly into the transmission lever . The adjustment is under the shift counsole .
Once the cable is aligned with the transmission shift lever , verify the truck will only start in park and nuetral .

P0705
This covers any normal shifter cable and alignment issues and all diagnostics start on page 53 of this pdf http://fjcruiser-club.com/docs/RM/A7...0Transaxle.pdf

Then read here http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/311737-p0705-code-popped-yesterday.htm
.
and here https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/solved-need-help-fast-truck-will-not-shift-out-of-park.390784/

Now you know the shifter is free with the truck in the off position .
Now , start the truck and verify you can smoothly shift through all the gears . Has the shifter freed up or is it still really tight ?

If its still tight with the engine running , remove all ground straps and clean them spotless . Add additional ground straps if you please .
I have seen vehicles catch on fire for this very reason .
When the ground wires on circuits get old and corroded , they no longer function properly and loose contact with ground . Guess what your shifter cable just became ? The ground wire from your transmission to the vehicle body .
I have replaced many melted shifter cables . The shifter cable becomes the vehicles ground and the plastic outer shield will actually melt to the inner cable . This is more noticeable on todays vehichles with all the fancy control motors and electronics as they draw much more amperage in comparison to older cars and trucks . With the non metal box on our trucks all we have is the frame and truck cab to rely on for our grounding needs .
A little sand paper used to clean those ground straps usually fixes the problem but you can always add a couple more straps to be safe . Some guys are too late and the cable is fried . Some guys replace the cable without replacing or cleaning the grounds only to have the same issue again .

 

This is the part I ordered:

$117 Genuine Toyota (84540-04010) Neutral Switch Assembly

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KTJCQS6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

The picture was the EXACT one as the one that was on the truck, or is pictured in the Amazon link. I didn't take any other pictures during the replacement, I was too busy either cussing or scratching my head! That was NOT as fun or quick of a job as I had hopped for!