Ask the Car People.SM


2007 Sienna Shift cable came loose from housing

4 messages,  Last post on Jun 06, 2011 at 10:25 AM

You are in the Toyota Sienna Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Sienna, Gasoline, Van

Messages Page 1 of 1

  • All Messages Displayed

#1 of 4 2007 Sienna Shift cable came loose from housing by sammamish1

Jun 03, 2011 (4:39 pm)

I just had a bad experience with my 2007 Sienna LE, currently at 44k miles. I was one a road trip and I suddenly lose the ability to switch gear while I was doing a U-turn. I can still move the gear shifter to different positions, but the van was locked up and cannot be actually put into different gears.
    I unhinged the small drawer underneath the gear shifter, and found that the shift cable, which still connected between the shifter and transmission, has fallen out of its metal housing. Correct signals were not sent to the transmission and the car totally locked up. I reattached the cable to the housing using duct tape, and everything seems to work after that. I was able to drive a couple of hundred miles back home.
    I brought the car to local dealer the next day. Instead of indicating why the cable came loose after the only 4 years, they said the problem is that the gear shifter was worn out, and asked me to replace the gear shifter at about $800.
    There are two problems I can see:
#1. There is manufacturer defect in installing the shift cable. I am always quite careful in shifting, and it does not make sense for the shift cable to fall off the housing under normal circumstance. The small drawer underneath the gear shift was never able to close fully, which could have been an indication that installation wasn't done properly.
#2. Dealer has misdiagnosed the problem. Instead of identifying why the cable fell from the housing and just fix the specific issue, they replace the whole gear shifter.
    Is there something I missed here? I plan to complain to Toyota and maybe other authorities, but like to seek some advice from the forum first.
Thanks…

#2 of 4 Re: 2007 Sienna Shift cable came loose from housing [sammamish1] by fibber2

Jun 05, 2011 (5:20 pm)

Replying to: sammamish1 (Jun 03, 2011 4:39 pm)
I looked at both the exploded parts diagram at one of the dealer parts sites, and at the factory shop manual for some more details about how they hold together. This isn't rocket science. The outer shell of the shifter cable snaps into a retainer at the bottom of the shifter housing, and there looks to be a spring that goes into a slot to hold it in place.
 
The cable is about $150, the shifter assembly around $300.
 
http://www.toyotapartszone.com/Page_Product/PartDetail.aspx?model=SIENNA&year=20- 07&catalogCode=622420&VAID=1042,4379&selectConditions=%289=USA;1=2GRFE;3=WG;4=LE- ;8=7S;0=GSL25L-PFAEKA%29&originCountry=%289=USA%29&sectionID=2&componentsID=33-1- 2&componentsIndex=0&isBigPicture=False&pictureName=333202A
 
Worn out? How? Time for some bailing wire to reinforce the retainer.

#3 of 4 Re: 2007 Sienna Shift cable came loose from housing [fibber2] by sammamish1

Jun 05, 2011 (8:45 pm)

Replying to: fibber2 (Jun 05, 2011 5:20 pm)
Thanks for the response! The link is quite helpful. I took a look at my van, and can't see PNC 85431 (Fig 84-01) as shown in the figure . I searched the web a bit but can't find the diagram. Any suggestion where can I find this?
    The "how" is my question. I agree that the problem is more likely with the retainer, which I think is a defect in factory installation in the first place. The dealer replaced the shifter assembly which doesn't seem necessary at all.
    I will talk to the dealer again next week. This is good information to have.
 
Thanks again,

#4 of 4 Re: 2007 Sienna Shift cable came loose from housing [sammamish1] by fibber2

Jun 06, 2011 (10:25 am)

Replying to: sammamish1 (Jun 05, 2011 8:45 pm)
I think that 85431 is an electronic module.
 
Go back and click on illustration 2 of 2. That shows the top of the cable dotted lined to the bottom of the shifter. The shop manual gives some scant detail on how they align & tie together.
 
http://www.utoyot8.com/Picture.aspx?ccId=300653596&ppId=170818557&ppInfo=ILLUST+- - - NO.+2+OF+2+++++-----++%280301-++++%29&ccode=&ppName=
 
You paid them for the part, so ask for the old one back with an explanation of what exactly 'wore out' and their theory of why. Ask them for assistance in telling this to the district mgr for courtesy reimbursement consideration. But be nice! You get more with the right attitude!!

Messages Page 1 of 1

  • All Messages Displayed
To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement