Transmission stuck in Park after cleaning interior

[TwistedE]

Hi,

I've got a bit of a problem with my 2000 Camry I4 Auto.
I cleaned my interior with a dampish cloth and I think I got some water/moisture into the electrics beneath the shifter and now I can't get it out of Park. I have to press that little manual reset button every time I want to get it out of Park. From what I've read, it's either a solenoid or a fuse but it can't be a fuse because my rear lights are working.

Is there a DIY or something that shows how to remove the plastic around the shifter and replace the solenoid or whatever it is that's actually messed up down there.

Stealership wants $102 just for diagnosis and more $$$ for fixing.

[abew330]

check / swap the "brake" (10a) fuse behind coin try under steering column..

maybe bad "brake light switch" behind brake pedal

the brake lights work?

[dave1811]

I have a 99 Camry I4 Auto but I happened to just have this problem on a Hyundai Elantra I owned (before my daughter crashed and totaled it). On my Hyundai, it turned out to be the Switch Assembly on the Stop Lamp. Check your brake lights to see if they are working. Don't know if it is the same on Camry's but it might be worth a shot trying. I also had to push the little button on my Hyundai to get it out of park.

Hope this might help,

David

[JohnGD]

It's probably the solenoid that locks the shifter. You can manually override it by the release button by the shifter.

So I'd carefully pry up the bezel and have a look underneath. You can register to use Autozone's free online repair guide.

https://www.autozone.com/autozone/my...gistration.jsp

Originally Posted by TwistedE

Hi,

I've got a bit of a problem with my 2000 Camry I4 Auto.
I cleaned my interior with a dampish cloth and I think I got some water/moisture into the electrics beneath the shifter and now I can't get it out of Park. I have to press that little manual reset button every time I want to get it out of Park. From what I've read, it's either a solenoid or a fuse but it can't be a fuse because my rear lights are working.

Is there a DIY or something that shows how to remove the plastic around the shifter and replace the solenoid or whatever it is that's actually messed up down there.

Stealership wants $102 just for diagnosis and more $$$ for fixing.

[TwistedE]

Hi,

I thought the brake lights were working but I guess I assumed that fact.......

Anyways, the brake lights are out and not working.

How do I get to that 10A fuse that abew330 is talking about. Is it located directly under the steering column....Autozone does not have the full details on how to get to the fuse box. Please help someone. I can't believe I drove this car for a week without brake lights.

[JohnGD]

Check behind the coin box on the left side of the steering wheel.

Originally Posted by TwistedE

Hi,

I thought the brake lights were working but I guess I assumed that fact.......

Anyways, the brake lights are out and not working.

How do I get to that 10A fuse that abew330 is talking about. Is it located directly under the steering column....Autozone does not have the full details on how to get to the fuse box. Please help someone. I can't believe I drove this car for a week without brake lights.

[TwistedE]

Don't know why you guys keep saying check behind the coin box because all my fuses and relays are under the hood just behind the car's left front headlight inches from the battery. There's a massive plastic compartment beside the battery next to the fender that says Fuses & Relays.I checked all the fuses there, they are all fine, pulled them all out individually and checked. The Haynes manual also shows a little trap door kinda thing beside the coin compartment but that's for the '97 avalon.

This is a Canadian car if that makes any difference in fuse location.

I read some more things on the internet and I think it's my brake light switch that is located on the brake pedal. It may be that my cleaning the interior was just a coincidence because I don't get how that can get ruined by me wiping the interior with a slightly moist cloth which I've done numerous times.

If the brake switch light fails, should the driving lights on the back lights still come on if I turn on the lights. I know pressing the brake pedal won't turn on the bright lights but if my logic is correct, the driving lights in the rear should still light up regardless right?

Please advise.

[Chris Crash]

there is a second fuse panel behind the coin tray. Remove the coin tray, and on the back of the tray will be a fuse diagram.

[TwistedE]

Chris, you're right. There is a fuse panel and sure enough the STOP fuse of 15A IS BLOWN. The 10A fuse for the REAR is fine and therefore I have the running lights on the rear but I just don't get the brighter brake lights when the pedal is pressed.

All makes sense now. Hopefully it's only the water that short circuited it and by now it should have evaporated. If it does blow again tomorrow when I replace it, then I might have a real problem.

Thanks everyone.

[TwistedE]

Well I put in a new 15A fuse and that blew right away also. I'm guessing I've got a permanent short now somewhere in the circuit. Any ideas on where I could start looking? Or should I just take it to the mechanic.

I opened the plastic trim around the shifter and I see a whole bunch of electrical components, just don't know which one to look into first.

[Chris Crash]

I think it's the brake light switch, attached to the brake pedal itself.

[dave1811]

I'm with Chris, I think it might be the brake light switch also like I said in my prior post with my Hyundai Elantra when that went out. They are about $15-$30 or so at Rock Auto. Might be a cheap fix if that is what it is.

Good luck.

[nathinz]

hmm
i have a 2000 Camry LE 4 Cyl Auto
one day i got in my car, Couldnt shift out of park
i lost the plastic peice that covers the emergency button
But i had to use that button to shift
Then i noticed my brake lights werent working

I Took it to a mechanic, he replaced the brake switch said he checked the fuses and had no clue why the brake lights still werent working

Took it to toyota, paid $40 all they could find was a fuse blown

Everything worked again!! its been 5 days since then and my brake lights are out again...

[TwistedE]

I'll post some pictures tonight that will explain everything you should check in case you have this problem. Typing and describing is pointless. A few pics will do the trick. Maybe later today after work, I'll upload them.

[nathinz]

thanks alot man i just checked my fuses
I have 3 and a empty spot
Same with the small fuses
Their all good though im like huh
But i just checked the ones under the hood