once again I have searched this forum and not found my answer so I am posting

I am a do it your selfer that is not doing so good on this one. I am disabled now and poor so I amtrying to fix this myself, My 1993 Camry LE 4 cyclinder ( 121k)will not shift out of park with out pushing the bypass button at the shifter, I also found out LATER I( like today)I have no brake lights. My toyoya mechanic I used for years told me it was the shifter solenoid before I knew the brake lights did not work. I bought a new shifter solendoid, installed it and I have the same problem. I have a Haynes manual and looked and looked and I cannot even find what I need there. Does any one know if it is maybe the switch at the brake pedal itself that is causing this???? Or one of the other shifter ECU's in the shifter itselfmentioned in the Haynes manual. I have checked all fuses, all OK, fusible links seem to be OK after switching them around. I am tired of using a screw driver or pen to get my car in gear plus now finding out I have no brake lights!! Please help a "no money now wasted money disabled guy"! Thanks!

 

Until I looked at my Haynes I had no idea how much stuff goes into this simple interlock. It appears that the first thing that must be present is a 12 volt signal from the brake light switch. I'd check that fuse and it's switch first. From there you can follow the Haynestroubleshooting procedures. It may be that the stop light switch just needs adjustment to get the proper travel from the brake pedal. You could jump the brake light switch wires and see if you get power then. Test light also makes iteasy to see if you have power.

 

The solenoid for the trans shifter uses the same switch as the brake lights. If you have no brake lights and the problem is the brake switch this could cause both problems, no lights and locked shifter.

The switch is located up under the dash, you should be able to see it. The brake pedal arm triggers the switch. The switch may be bad or just need adjusting.

 

thanks to both of you..............seems indeed it may be the brake light switch..........boy that is a bear to get to for a 51 year old guy!

 

thanks toyomoho............i sent you a private message...........I think you can ignore that because you already answered! thanks!

 

Check here for the complete diagnostic procedure on the shift interlock problem: Toyota Won't Shift out of Park

 

thanks Rick MN, I just read your article on it looks like you wrote it today HUH?? thanks!

I should ask you sometime how long a Taurus 1994 tranny will last when it starts to hesitate shifting from first to second......at almost SLOWS down the car ( actually it does do that)...AAMCO says I need to rebuild, my own mechanic says drive it like it is...........but it is definitely not right..........3.8 liter V6.........plus every one tells me I DO NOT want to do that repair myself not being a mechanic nor having a lift. The car only had 78k original miles, I bought it cheap to fix up and resell.........the tranny did not feel this way when I bought it, but it does now!! Therefore looks like I am going to own it myself a while :-(..........nice car though, a wagon, only thing bad is the tranny, all else is good