(SOLVED) Stuck in park thinks it’s in reverse

2006 taco always thinks it’s in reverse.

fixing my grandpas truck. does not start. when i put it in reverse it knows and i can’t take the key out. sprayed sea foam on linkages and in the shifter assembly and underneath on neural switch and cable that goes into transmission.
shifter moves free with trans cable disconnected at shifter assembly. can’t get the cable off at the trans end. bolt won’t come out the throttle looking bracket. any tips? no play in trans cable even with it disconnected at shifter, i’m guessing the tension is holding it in( tried prying and hammering lightly on the bolt and no noticeable movement). i can move the lever going into the transmission with a channel lock wrench(lots of resistance) and it moves around the bolt so i don’t think it’s seized. anyone ever have this problem?

 

What happens if you push shift lock release?

 

Sounds like the transmission range switch may be siezed if the shaft is difficult to move at the transmission.

 

it’ll move to reverse neutral and drive but i’m met with more and more resistance. also when in another gear it doesn’t move the trans cable and lever below

 

any way to test that? they’re pretty expensive. it’s also called a neutral safety switch right?

 

I guess you could take the 2 bolts out and see if you can turn it by hand at all, other than that not really but it's unlikely that something internal to the transmission is bound up.

Those switches are usually pretty corroded to he shaft and rarely can be removed non-destructively.

 

not sure if these help at all but seem similar.. some deep dive by folks smarter than I it would appear.. sorry if not relevant

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/sticky-tranny-shifter-2006-auto-6-cyl.254595/page-3#post-8471496

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...th-override-park-lock-solenoid-failed.328365/

 

luckily (i hope) mine doesn’t look rusty. any tips to get the cable free from the lever going into the trans?

 

Got any pics?

 

i’ll take some tomorrow and post them here, thank you for your help

 

You'll have to hold the cable end (eyelet) and and just work at it.
If you don't hold the eyelet, It will just fight against you.

 

i am worried it will pop of the stud that’s holding it, looks like it was punched or flaired so it doesn’t fall out. there seems to be a shit ton of tension on it, doesn’t even wiggle

 

are the aftermarket neural safety switches any good? or should i just get oem

 

Aftermarket are hit or miss on long term reliability. OEM is always better in the long run.

 

Thanks everyone for your help. I guess soaking the lever a second time did the trick. Disconnected the trans cable at the shifter and using a adjustable wrench on the lever on the transmission below the truck it moved maybe a quarter inch pretty easily. so i soaked it again with sea foam while moving it back and forth and it freed up. Now it’s in park and says it’s in park and fired right up for the first time in 9 or 10 months on the first try. I believe before the transmission was in reverse or in between reverse and park and the lever siezed up, enabling the shifter to go into park(little bit of resistance) neutral (some resistance) or drive(lots of resistance) .

 

Excellent job O.P.