02 Echo Shift Linkage Broke!!!

[Solace87]

So last night I got into my echo, started it and shifted into drive. Except the gear shift moved with no resistance and it didnt go into drive.
After a brief period of wtf, I realized my shift linkage/cable must have been broken.

I looked and it broke right where it connects to the transmission at the front of the car. With a brick and the Ebrake I was able to get it into drive and take it home.

Any ideas on how to fix this? I cannot find the part for the life of me except at one place that is asking 300 dollars for it. I might as well buy a transmission with half the miles in it for that price!

Is there any type of extender or something? Also it seems I would have to remove the whole thing which would be a huge pain. Thanks in advance, also if theres a write up to changing this. Id had to pull it out wrong and find out i needed it there to fish the old one through

[scarney1988]

Email me at scarney1988@hotmail.com . I'll email you the Toyota Walkthrough.

Try calling up a non chain parts house. i.e. not autozone, advanced auto

check rockauto.com and such too

Try calling and automatic trans shop and asking to order through them possibly.

[Solace87]

I still cant find anything or if it would require removing alot of stuff.
Tomorrow I am going to the hardware store to make a bracket that extends the hardware and then clamps to the now slightly shorter cable. In theory it should work.

[Solace87]

I fixed it this afternoon The plastic end piece had broken. what was toyota thinking making this part entirely out of plastic!

1 Bought a 4 gauge ring terminal from the hardware store for 1.40.
2 Drilled out the inside of the terminal for a perfect fit.
3 Crimped the terminal onto the end of the cable
4 Tacked the terminal to the cable

Perfect fix and stronger than ever

[njfworld]

Originally Posted by Solace87

I fixed it this afternoon The plastic end piece had broken. what was toyota thinking making this part entirely out of plastic!

1 Bought a 4 gauge ring terminal from the hardware store for 1.40.
2 Drilled out the inside of the terminal for a perfect fit.
3 Crimped the terminal onto the end of the cable
4 Tacked the terminal to the cable

Perfect fix and stronger than ever

Hi Solace, great explanation, sounds like a good fix.


Could you explain that to me in a little clearer language? I have the same car and same problem, but am not too car saavy. Need to get some guidance on where to proceed, how to access different areas, etc.

If you or any other forum user could explain in simpler language, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[denman]

Way to go Solace: that's my kind of fix,....I believe that's an electrical connection , a very large one but commonly available, that normally is installed on the end of an electrical wire with a crimper or side cutters. Only now it's crimped onto the shift linkage and the ring is grabbing a knob on a lever that's on the transmission. Sound right Solace?

[slandi]

My wife's car has the exact same problem and it happened last night and stranded her late downtown with no way home. I drove down to pick her up and try to see if I could figure out what was wrong. I took the entire center console out and when I saw the shift linkage moving in and out of the firewall, I realized it must be the transmission linkage. Unfortunately, I didn't have a flashlight and to be truthful at this point I don't even know where the linkage is on the transmission. Could somebody tell me or send a picture of exactly where the cable linkage is on the transmission side. I'd love to try a fix as was mentioned above and also if I could get it into drive and get the car home it would be amazing.

Thanks alll,

Stefano

[ericlp]

http://www.michaelchow.com/techinfo....x/axu/remo.pdf

This is the only diagram the part you are looking for is the "shift control cable".

You'll have to go under the car... Have someone push on the brake or pull up the parking break as tight as you can. Then somehow at the end of the cable push on to see if you can get it into drive.

Hard to tell how the cable works from the diagram ... If you change out the part yourself grab some pictures and post em up!

Good Luck!

[slandi]

Hey Eric,

Thank for the PDF, I actually had found this myself as well, but it didn't really help all that much. OK, here's and update, I went back downtown last night to take a look at my wife's car with a good flashlight in hand and new knowledge as to where to look for the transmission shifter linkage. I was able to locate it easily and realized that to access it from below I would need to remove the plastic shroud/splash guard underneath the radiator. However, as I looked at the situation, I also realized if I removed the air intake pipe that is attached to the crossmember in front of the batter and then makes its way to the airfilter container, I could actually have access to the shifter on the transmission from above. So I removed the one screw holding the air intake pipe and presto was able to carefully place my arm down and easily get to the cable/shift mechanism on the tranny. I quickly realized that the cable was broken right at the juncture of the transmission. With the engine OFF and the hand brake OFF as well, I held my breathe, grabbed hold of the linkage and moved it very very easily into Neutral. My goal at this point was just to see if a) I could move the shifter by hand and b) could I turn the car around in the parking lot to have better light and better access in case I needed a tow truck.

Having moved the car by hand, I then got more courageous and decided to place the shifter linkage in the "Park" position which is completely down. Then got in the car, started the engine, pulled up on the hand brake as hard as I could and then proceeded to move the transmission linkage up slowly from "Park" to "R", then "N" and then finally "Drive". Success, I could feel the car lurch forward a bit as the torque converter caught, but the handbrake held very easily. So today my wife and I are going back to bring the car back home.

My worry of course is that since the shifter linkage on the transmission is very very easy to move by hand, once we put it in "Drive" and start bringing the car home with all the potholes in our fair city, I'm afraid the linkage may jump out of "Drive" and either into "Neutral" or worst into "Reverse". Now normally this can't happen because the shifter in the car has a safety lockout to prevent the shifter from going into "R" unless you push the thumb button on the shifter. However, since the link to the shifter is broken the linkage on the transmission is free to move. To correct this I'm going to fashion a kind of adapter that will strap to the existing cable around the boot near the transmission linkage and then with a tie-wrap, wrap it around the transmission linkage to secure it so that the shifter will keep it in the "Drive" position and prevent it from bouncing around.

I've already contacted Toyota and they want $360 for a new cable, but I found on on e-bay for $77, so I'm going to take a chance and buy it and then change it out myself.

I plan on taking many detailed pictures of the temporary fix and the entire cable replacing process for anyone else that might run into this problem.

I'll update later today or tomorrow.

regards all,

Stefano

Originally Posted by ericlp

http://www.michaelchow.com/techinfo....x/axu/remo.pdf

This is the only diagram the part you are looking for is the "shift control cable".

You'll have to go under the car... Have someone push on the brake or pull up the parking break as tight as you can. Then somehow at the end of the cable push on to see if you can get it into drive.

Hard to tell how the cable works from the diagram ... If you change out the part yourself grab some pictures and post em up!

Good Luck!

[ericlp]

Sounds like a good plan! You could probably go to a junk yard and get the cable next to nothing. I wonder how much Toyota wants for labor? I think 400 bucks for a cable is a total rip. But sadly it just is not Toyota charging outrageous for parts. They all do it. I sometimes feel like going out to the junk yards and scoring one for myself just in case. Maybe you could have someone fabricate a new connection end for you for 50 bucks? A cable that will last longer than the OEM part. I don't weld but I'm sure you could Double Crimp it or triple crimp a modification on the existing cable. Glad you figured it out and can drive the car back without a tow.

*EDIT*

The end loop of the automatic transmission shift cable (a $341 CDN) is made of plastic. Over time, rust builds up between the end loop and the bolt that connects the cable to the shift lever on the transmission. Once that happens, the loop cannot move freely on the bolt and the plastic will begin to bend slightly every time you shift gears. After awhile, the plastic will break due to fatigue. To prevent this, this part should be kept well oiled/greased in order to prevent rust but unfortunately we are not told about this easy preventive maintenance. If you end up with a broken cable, it is fairly easy to fix provided you have some skills at working metal. (1) Disconnect the cable end bolt from the transmission shift lever and remove all of the plastic. (2) Remove the flat washer being careful to salvage all of the metal that holds the flat washer on the bolt (you will need it for reassembly). (3) Take a scrap piece of metal (about 1.25 in. long x 1/2 in. wide x 3/8 in. thick) and drill a 5/16 in. hole centered 3/8 in. from one end. (4) At the other end, centered on the end face, drill a 13/64 in. hole towards the first hole (parallel to the long axis of the metal piece) and thread this hole using a 1/4-20 tap. (5) Insert the salvaged bolt in the 5/16 in. hole, reinstall the flat washer and secure it in place by riveting the metal (make sure that the metal piece will move freely on the bolt when done). (6) Now go to the cable and remove all plastic left on the end of the metal rod that was connected to the plastic loop in which the bolt was inserted. (7) Using vise grip pliers hold the rod firmly in place and thread the first 1/2 in. of that rod using 1/4-20 tap (make sure that the rod does not turn while doing this). (8) When done, screw on your metal piece on the rod and re-attach your repaired cable to the transmission shift lever (make sure that the transmission is in Park). (9) If the bolt does not go in easily, loosen the retaining bolt that connects the other end of the cable to the car shift lever, install the bolt on the transmission shift lever and then tighten the bolt on the car shift lever. Check to make sure that the transmission shifts properly and readjust as necessary. Voila; you are done and have likely saved yourself in excess of $500. Hope this helps.

I found this! This should be a sticky... Dunno about the mods here but the things that are at the top of the page are useless information. I saw one guy on ebay already sold 50 of these cables so this is a common problem (made me do a search to find this info).... Hope it helps the next sucker that toyota is hoping for 350 + labor !!! Just to have the part fail again! I'm going out to check my cable and clean up the rust on the bolt tomorrow!

Also here is a better picture with all the clips holding the cable in to make it easy to take the cable out of the car.

http://www.villagetoyotaparts.com/im...ize/332148.jpg

[slandi]

Hey again,

Thanks for the wonderful info. I ordered a replacement cable from a guy on e-bay for $77. I realize it will probably break again in the very long run, but it's my wife's car and she prefers that I just replace the part instead of fixing the existing cable. I don't mind and I'll put in my calendar to check the cable and grease it every 6 months or so and hopefully that will keep it from breaking pre-maturely. I asked Toyota how much they charge to change the cable and they told me it's a 4-5 hour job. Hmmm... I saw what I need to do, and if everything goes according to plan I should have it done in about 1 hour or so. I would have loved to be able to fix it for next to nothing.



[QUOTE=ericlp;3812092]Sounds like a good plan! You could probably go to a junk yard and get the cable next to nothing. I wonder how much Toyota wants for labor? I think 400 bucks for a cable is a total rip. But sadly it just is not Toyota charging outrageous for parts.

<snip>

[Dollar]

Originally Posted by slandi

Hey again,

Thanks for the wonderful info. I ordered a replacement cable from a guy on e-bay for $77. I realize it will probably break again in the very long run, but it's my wife's car and she prefers that I just replace the part instead of fixing the existing cable. I don't mind and I'll put in my calendar to check the cable and grease it every 6 months or so and hopefully that will keep it from breaking pre-maturely. I asked Toyota how much they charge to change the cable and they told me it's a 4-5 hour job. Hmmm... I saw what I need to do, and if everything goes according to plan I should have it done in about 1 hour or so. I would have loved to be able to fix it for next to nothing.

That one on ebay is an aftermarket part. Could it be upgraded? Surface finish has it as metal and rubber.

[JCofA]

Had a 1970 mustang manual linkage fell out close to home so drove it on in 2nd. Anyway fixed it with a 10inch pc of 3/8 allthread rod and some lock nuts. Some times you just gotta be creative espeasally if your broke at the time! Sold it that way a year later still good to go. if there is a need the mind will build a way around a problem. Way to go guys

[slandi]

Hey folks, sorry this has taken me so long to post. OK, here are a series of detailed pictures of the more crucial parts of the cable swap out.

DISCLAIMER: Please read through these instructions carefully and asses whether you can take this on. It's really not that difficult and from what I've read on the forum most people can tackle this, but I have to warn you that there may be a few bolts that are very tricky to remove and will require lots of patience. I just want to make sure you understand this before proceeding. There are a few people who have stated that it might be easier to simply repair the existing cable in place, you may want to try that before taking the drastic step of changing it yourself. I didn't have a choice as I wanted to put back a NEW cable and also save myself close to $1K that the dealer wanted to charge me.

OK so first off, to access the cable linkage at the transmission lever end you have to go to this general area of the engine compartment as indicated by the yellow box. Yeah, I know the engine is filthy, I didn't take the time to clean it like I wanted to...



To gain access to the transmission lever you'll have to remove the air inlet pipe from the airbox. To remove it unscrew the bolt located on the front cross member and then slightly rotate the pipe while pulling towards the front of the car as shown in the image below.



Once the pipe is removed if you look directly down at the front of the transmission you will see the lever, as shown below.



Here is a close up detailed shot of the lever. At A. you'll notice the broken cable. It snapped right at the junction where it goes to the bolt. Made out of plastic, this cable will break eventually, unless it's kept cleaned and greased. B. indicates the location where the cable connects to the transmission shifter lever.



To remove the broken cable, I sprayed generous amounts of rust release or WD-40 or whatever brand you use and let it sit for a few hours. Then I pushed the lever down as far as it would go and put a ratchet on the end of the bolt and slowly applied pressure. This is putting pressure on the transmission lever so go slow. If it doesn't come loose, then you must hold the lever with some to add more pressure, do not put TOO much pressure on the lever, it could damage the transmission lever.

Once that bolt is off, the next thing is to undo the cable attachment which holds the cable in place allowing it to pull and push on the lever. The bracket is a the front of the transmission above the lever. Here is a picture, but unfortunately the bolts holding the bracket can't be seen, but the two yellow arrows are pointing to them.




End of part I see Part II below.

[slandi]

I'm doing this in parts as I was worried my computer would crash during the posting

Alright, so once the bracket holding the cable is removed if you swivel up and turn it you will see the retaining clip (D) that secures the cable to the bracket as shown below. Spray some rust release on this part, wait a bit and then if you place a large flat screwdriver between the lip and the clip at E. and rotate the screwdriver, that should push the clip and allow you to remove it.



Wth the clip removed, the cable released from the bracket now we have to gain access to a retaining clip under the airbox. So, remove the hoses and connectors from the top of the airbox and then open and remove the airbox top to reveal the airfilter. Remove the airfilter and then you will have the bottom of the airbox exposed as shown below.



There are three bolts that hold the airbox to a bracket on top of the transmission. Remove the three bolts and the airbox bottom will easily come out of the engine compartment.



With the airbox removed the retaining clip can now be seen on the airbox support as shown below. Unbelievable how rusty this part is, unfortunately I needed to finish the repair quickly, otherwise I would have removed the support and painted it.



Here's the same clip from another angle.



Simply remove the cable from the retaining clip and now we move to the inside of the car.

First thing is you must remove the screw under the rear cupholder. You'll probably have to remove the small piece of felt at the bottom to gain acccess to the bolt.

Then removed the small plate located under the hand-brake. You'll notice at the front of the slot for the hand-brake a part with a round end, this can come off by prying with a finger under the part. I wish I had pictures of this, but I've done this so many times I forgot to take pics.

Now hold the front of the console at the cupholders and lift with a quick movement. If everything is good, the console will lift up. You may have to do one side at a time.

Now, if you have electric door locks, be careful as you pull up the console you'll have to reach under and disconnect the electric door lock button connector.

Then lift the console up and clear of the shifter and hand-brake. You may have to put the shifter in N or any other position other than Park.

Now you have to remove the small cover at the bottom of the dash in front of the shifter. To do this, reach around on the right hand side and locate a small plastic locking tab. Gently pry it out with a small screwdriver being careful not to break it. Put it aside for reassemblly later.

Now grasp the bottom cover and gently rock it from side to side until it dislodges from the pressure fittings. It may take a while, just take your time and it will come off.

Once this is done you'll now have access to the shifter cable attachment at the shifter end and access to the cable through-plate as I like to call it. It is a rubber membrane through which the cable slides and goes from inside the car to under the car. See the image below.



Here is a detailed shot of the cable connection to the shifter.



Now comes the difficult part. The trough-plate is held by two bolts located under the car and above the heat shield of the catalytic converter. To gain access you'll have to remove the heat shield, held by two bolts again under the car. I can't explain how difficult this can be as these bolts are often rusted and might just break right off. In my case, I had it easy as several months ago I had to install a new bolt on my wife's ECHO that held the heat shield. Since it's very light, I only used one bolt and simply fed it right through the floor near the through-plate as shown in the photo below. The bolt is actually under the white silicone sealant you see near the through-plate. I had to eventually grind away the bolts (C) holding the through-plate from inside the car as they were much too rusted to remove. This allowed the through-plate to fall down and I was able to get this part of the cable down at through the floor of the car.



OK, so the cable is free now right and can be removed? WRONG!!! OK, go to part III for the exciting conclusion.