Corolla Won't Start..Possibly a cable failure?

hawaiiboy

We have a 2000 Toyota Corolla. I reversed the car up my driveway. There was some struggle when I placed the shifter in the "Park" position and I noticed that the car rolled forward so I engaged the handbreak. When I tried to start the car, nothing happens (the starter will not engage). I noticed that the moving down the shift was quite easy. I played around with the shifter while trying to start the car with no success. Then I finally gave up. At that point I noticed that I could not remove the key from the ignition. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

picflight

Seems to be a fault with the switch on the gear lever. Try to bypass it and see if it starts.

cjm94

If your car still rolls you are not in park, the starter will not engage in gear. Sounds like your shift cable broke if the lever moves real easy now.

CoconutPete

Try putting in in Neutral - most non-push button start automatic cars I've driven also started in Neutral.

Whnen you said it still rolled down the hill in "D". Do you mean a foot or so, or did it want to keep going?

hawaiiboy

Thank you all for your input. My hunch is that the shifter cable gave based on the inability to start the car and not able to the turn the key to the lock position to remove it from the ignition switch. What do you guys think? Also can anyway provide me pictures (diagrams) on how to remove the center counsel around the shifter? Aloha.

hawaiiboy

Anyone knows where on the Internet I can buy at a fraction of the dealer cost a shifter cable for my 2000 corolla (4 speed)?

Bigplanz

Try rockauto.com

hawaiiboy

I pulled the console off and found that the shifter cable slipped off the shifter. Do anyone know for my particular vehicle if it was held by a cotter or snap ring. Seems like it's the latter.

roadkingryder

Greeting I am now having the same problem with my 00 corolla. would you mind explaining how you where able to put the cable back on. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

manny1234

did you get this resolved? i have a 2009 corolla that the shift wont' go into park or reverse. Just want to know how you did it.

manny1234

did you get this resolved? i have a 2009 corolla that the shift wont' go into park or reverse. Just want to know how you did it.

hawaiiboy

Got it fixed. Used a lock washer from lowes.it is used to hold the wheel to an axle.

Duckweather

Putting the shift lever on the wheel must make it difficult to drive. It sounds suspiciously like a push nut. You have to take them off with metric vise grips.

hawaiiboy

Well what I actually did to secure the ring end of the shifter cable to the stub out from the shifter was to put a snap washer secured by an axle cap. The axle cap is something that you will find that cheaply hold a wheel to an axle (eg a wheel barrel).