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Shift lock release

15K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  JuneBug 
#1 ·
It's a 2012 rav4 limited with the smart key. For some reason the brake pedal appears to be locked and pressing the Start button just resulted in flashing dashboard light. I've tried locking/unlocking doors. I also tried jerking the shift stick and was able to shift it freely to other gears. So I called a tow guy to come over to have it towed to the dealer. He did something with the shift lock release key (the one with the groove that fits the flat head screw driver), pulled the parking brake, jerked the shift gear and it worked. The car starts normally now but I still feel uneasy about this. My main concern is what caused it in the first place and how to prevent it in the future.
 
#2 ·
It could be a problem with the neutral safety switch. This switch is on the transmission and locks out the ignition to prevent starting unless the shift lever is in P or N.
 
#3 ·
It looks like two things might be going on here. These vehicles are designed so that they will not start unless the transmission is in Park or Neutral. Since your RAV started normally after the tow guy moved the gear selector, it most likely didn't start because the selector was not in the proper PARK position.

The second thing is that the transmission cannot be moved out of the PARK position unless the drivers foot is on the brake. When the brake circuit malfunctions, this safety feature can be bypassed with the "shift lock release" which the tow guy used to take your RAV out of the park position.

Sometimes when a vehicle is parked on an incline, the forces acting on the transmission can also make it difficult to move the selector from the PARK position.

In your case I suspect that the transmission was not completely in the PARK position which prevented engine starting. And I suspect that you were parked on an incline which made it difficult for you to move the selector to any other position.

Since everything is working normally now, it shows that the transmission safety switch and the brake/shifter interlock are all working normally. If your RAV fails to start again when in PARK, try starting in the NEUTRAL position, as the transmission safety switch may be becoming intermittent.

If you weren't parked on an incline, or you didn't place it into PARK while the vehicle was still moving, then I guess my theory doesn't work.
 
#5 ·
My 2008 has done this twice recently.......all lights, radio, etc. fine but nada when I turned the key. No hill, no incline, e-brake on. I turned the key to "on" then with one foot on the brake moved the gear lever through the gears then back to park. It fired right up but it's damn sure unnerving when it happens. One more time and I'll find out if the extended warranty covers the switch. Wiggling the steering wheel, which doesn't actually lock with the key out, did nothing.
 
#6 ·
Mine did that too once in a while--there was no pattern to it. Each time I just shifted into Neutral and it fired right up. After they replaced the whining transmission it never did it again. I'm sure your extended warranty would cover it, but getting it to act up at the dealership is next to impossible.
 
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