2017 TRD O/R Automatic transmission Neutral Safety Switch

.. so I'm driving along on the Hwy. with Cruise on and for no reason - The CC turns off, Check Engine idiot light comes on and the Traction Control "OFF" Idiot light comes on the display.

Pull over, stop - restart (twice ) no diff.

Drive in to the dealer and they think some rodent has eaten into the wiring harness after preliminary diags. Toyota uses a "Soy based" protein in the wire harness outer tape wrapping so this might be an issue. Further investigation finds the Automatic Transmission Neutral Safety Switch is so badly corroded is falls apart when they try to remove it. Truck has 37,400 miles and never in Salt water area or in chemical treated roadways (driven in E. Tennessee)

They want to charge me 3 hours labor and a $380 switch to replace it ! Fair ? I dont think so..... Why should a switch mounted on the outside of the transmission turn into oxidized junk on a Off-Road Truck barely 3 years old ? Mfg. Date 11/2017 --- I smell "defective parts" here...... Anyone have a name and address for Toyota Consumer affairs dept ?

 

Check your user manuals or google it.

 

Hmmmm . . . first I've heard of this one. I wonder what is different between yours and 200,000 other Tacomas? No "abuse" whatsoever?? Be honest.

G.

 

... honest, never off-road, just drive 64 miles RT on curvy country roads to work and home daily with some occasional interstate driving to Atlanta - Driven in rain sometimes, but I think any vehicle should be able to do that w/o rusting parts -- unless it's made in USSR, Yugoslavia or North Korea perhaps ---


I've owned a 1981 Celica GT, 1991 Camry, 1999 Tacoma Prerunner and 2012 Tacoma SR5 -- never any issues from parts rusting off the assemblies -

 

Lol I was hoping this wouldn't be a third gen thing, too. My dad has a 2012 SR5 I need to go under once a year and spray the shit out of that shift switch assembly with Krown spray lubricant. I already cleaned it up once a few years back, and his shifter will seize solid or truck will do all kinds of weird stuff like this if it’s not kept in good shape. The safety switch Is rusted to shit, nothing else on the truck is at all. I’ll change it when I absolutely have to. Keeping it oiled well makes it perfect immediately when it acts up...

 

Is the Safety Switch on your 2012 SR5 an Auto Tranny or manual ? Very different part...

 

Auto. His truck will get stuck in park, CC will shut off or not work altogether sometimes. All stems from this cheap safety switch assembly, which seems like is happening to OPs third gen. Not a super easy part to replace from what I read, but does not require removal of drivetrain parts.

 

Hopefully I can convince the service manager to retain my business with a warranty claim on this one - I find it just not right something like this should be so badly designed and not cadmium plated or other corrosion protection considering where it is located.

 

Yep,
Had the same thing on my 2nd gen. Total PITA when it starts to fail. Wouldn’t be surprised at all if Toyota just kept using this switch on 3rd gen trucks.

 

Certainly going to be checking the one on my 2018, and keeping it rustproofed. The yearly krown rustproofing seems to miss that area on Tacomas. Best of luck to The OP, btw. It shouldn’t be a major issue, but can be a major pain for sure.

 

Can someone help with where this switch is located? Can it be gotten to from under the truck?

 

Dealer was good to allow for a warranty claim 100% -

 

Looks like the Right Side towards the front near the Bell Housing -

Easy to get to if the truck is up on a lift - 1 Bolt

 

Thanks.

 

Do you have any writing about this case?? Anything from the dealer? My 2016 w 43k miles was just turned in for the exact same issues and theyre saying its a corroded neutral safety switch. Would not goodwill it, said they'd charge me 600 instead of 800. I called corporate and they did nothing for me.

 

That’s dealer speak for “we think it’s the park neutral switch but not sure and want the customer to pay for it”!

 

Going through the similar issue Dealer is telling me $300. part $650.00 Labour Leaking O'ring yet I can't see this switch even has one. I had an original problem with a hard shift they replace the NS Switch under warranty. I had a seeping transmission fluid leak for a long time replace trany pan gasket first. Still leaking ,replace pan warped apparently and gasket and bolts next all under warranty. Still have a seeping leak. Now the truck is out of warranty 26,000 klm's on it and the trany leaks ever so slightly but over time it is enough to be concerned since it is "sealed transmission" Now Working with the dealer ownership to resolve this issue.

 

I just started having this issue with my truck. Hard to shift into gear. Have a Check engine and trac off light.