NHTSA Complaint #10475045 — 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS

THE DASH GEAR SELECTOR (COMMON TO 2004 - 2009 G2 PRIUS) BEGAN CLICKING WHEN I CHANGED GEARS (R-D-N) I RESEARCHED THE SUBJECT AND LEARNED THAT THIS CAN LEAD TO THE SHIFTER LOCKING IN D OR R, A HAZARDOUS CONDITION. I ALSO LEARNED THAT SOME DIY OWNERS HAVE DISCOVERED A WARPED DUST PLATE IN THE SHIFTER COMPONENT. IT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM. THEIR SOLUTION IS TO REMOVE THE PLATE, TRIM IT, AND REASSEMBLE THE PART. LINK 1 BELOW IS A GOOGLE SEARCH THAT REVEALS THE OTHER TWO LINKS I INCLUDED. NOT ALL OF THE HITS ARE RELEVANT. THE THIRD LINK HAS A VIDEO WITH CLEAR IMAGES OF THE PROBLEM AND THE DIY 'SOLUTION.' HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/SEARCH?NUM=100&HL=EN&SAFE=OFF&COMPLETE=0&SITE=WEBHP&Q=PRIUS+%22GEAR+SHIFT%22+CLICK+STICKING&OQ=PRIUS+%22GEAR+SHIFT%22+CLICK+STICKING&GS_L=SERP.3...2446378.2449925.0.2450814.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0.LES%3BCPSUGRPQ1..0.0...1.1.IIMLXLK1U2C HTTP://PRIUSCHAT.COM/THREADS/GEAR-SHIFTER-STICKS.38199/PAGE-2 HTTP://PRIUSCHAT.COM/THREADS/HOW-TO-REPLACE-2G-GEARSHIFT-LEVER.65102/ I AM BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD BE ASKED TO RECALL THESE CARS TO REPLACE THIS DUST PLATE (OR THE SHIFTER MODULE.) UNFORTUNATELY THE GEAR SHIFT MODULE INCLUDED WITH THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE A LIFETIME CONSISTENT WITH THE 10 YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE TRACTION BATTERY. IT IS DANGEROUS TO HAVE OWNERS MAKE THIS REPAIR THEMSELVES. THIS COULD BE AVOIDED IF TOYOTA WERE REQUIRED TO DO IT INSTEAD. *TR