Moving the gear stick on your Toyota Sienna doesn’t seem to do anything. Now, you are sitting in the driver’s seat, thinking about what is wrong with the vehicle. What can you do to fix this problem? We investigated these concerns for your convenience, and here’s what we found.
A Toyota Sienna can get stuck in neutral due to reasons such as a missing gear shifter bushing or the vehicle being low on transmission fluid. So troubleshoot the minivan to find the root cause of this problem. Then, use the appropriate solution based on the results of your investigation.
Read on as we discuss possible reasons why a Toyota Sienna won’t shift from neutral. We’ll also address the potential fix for each probable cause in detail.
3 Reasons Toyota Sienna Is Stuck In Neutral (and Possible Solutions)
Disappeared gear lever bushing
A vehicle’s gear shifter bushing is often responsible for making the gear shifting experience taut yet smooth. But the shifter bushing on a Toyota Sienna can be missing from its original mounting location. The component can become loose and fall off, or disintegrate due to the constant friction of frequent gear changing.
How to fix
Replacing the bushing might be the best option to ensure that your Toyota Sienna’s gear stick is working properly. Follow these general steps to complete this task:
what you will need
ratchet and socket
wheel chocks
Screwdriver
replacement gear shift hub
step by step guide
Shut off the Sienna’s engine and set the parking or parking brake. Chock the wheels afterwards.
Turn the shift knob counterclockwise to loosen it. Remove and set it aside afterwards.
Open the glove box and the small container above it.
Press a tab under the bin above the glove box. Take that cover off of its mount and set it aside.
Press down on the sides of the glove box until it comes out of alignment. Then, remove the glove box from its original location.
Remove the clips from under the dash. You will find these clips on the right side of the driver’s seat and on the left side of the passenger seat.
Loosen and remove the screw on the small panel next to the ignition. Remove that panel afterwards.
Carefully pry off the large panel surrounding the shifter assembly.
Disconnect the wires connected to the large panel.
Remove the screws at the top and bottom of the shifter assembly.
Remove the material from the center console and set it aside temporarily.
Locate the bad bushing if you can and remove it.
Install the new gear shift bushing and apply the grease that should come with the replacement kit.
Perform the above steps in reverse order to return the removed part to its original location.
Start the Toyota Sienna’s engine and test the transmission if you can now shift gears correctly.
Take a look at this Toyota Sienna bushing repair kit on the internet.
You can also watch the video below if you need a visual guide for this procedure:
transmission fluid low
Keep in mind that you should change your vehicle’s transmission fluid at least once every 30,000 to 100,000 miles. This applies to your Toyota Sienna, just like any other car. If not, you may have problems such as the gear not coming out of the neutral position.
How to fix
First, check your owner’s manual for the correct transmission fluid to use in your specific Toyota Sienna model. Using the wrong transmission fluid can cause problems such as:
engine overheating
bad lubrication
Gear stuck in neutral
complete transmission failure
After purchasing the correct transmission fluid for your Toyota Sienna, continue with this procedure by following these steps:
what you will need
wheel chocks
floor jack
drain pan
allen key set
ratchet and socket
Hose
Funnel
transmission fluid
step by step guide
Make sure the engine is off and chock the wheels.
Set the Sienna’s manual, parking, or emergency brake.
Raise the driver’s side of the vehicle with a floor jack.
Place a drain pan under the transmission fluid container.
Use an allen wrench to remove the drain plug from the transmission fluid container.
Use another Allen key to remove the second drain plug from the bowl after the initial batch of fluid leaks out.
Replace the two drain plugs in the transmission fluid container, making sure they are secure.
Lower the floor jack, which should also lower the vehicle to the ground.
Go under the wheel well and remove the bolts holding the splash guard. Take out that component afterwards.
Remove the transmission fluid fill plug and set it aside temporarily.
Connect one end of an appropriate size hose to the funnel. Then, connect the other end to the location of the transmission fluid fill plug opening.
Top up the Toyota Sienna’s transmission fluid according to the product and vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations.
Replace the filler cap and start the Sienna’s engine. Test if the streaming system functions now work as expected.
Note: Avoid topping up the transmission fluid on a hot day. Otherwise, the fluid refill straw on the Toyota Sienna may expand and give you an incorrect reading.
Take a look at this product on the internet.
Watch this clip if you’d like to see a visual representation of the steps mentioned above:
At this point, you may be curious as to whether you can mix transmission fluids. Check out our article on that for the answer to that particular concern.
Loose shifter wiring
Frequent shifting or traversing bumpy terrain can loosen the shifter wiring. This particular reason for transmission failure may not need extensive repair and/or replacement.
How to fix
Reconnecting the loose wiring may resolve the issue. However, be sure not to mess with any components other than the offending parts to avoid further damage to the minivan.
Continue this process by following these general steps once you are ready:
what you will need
panel remover
Screwdriver
step by step guide
Make sure the engine is off. Then apply the parking, parking or emergency brake.
Open the hood once it is safe to touch it and disconnect the negative battery cable from its terminal.
Use the panel puller to open the panel around the gear stick. You may also need to remove the panel under the instrument cluster to access the wires.
Carefully remove the gear lever knob and its sub-assembly.
Inspect the frame and locate the loose wire.
Reconnect the loose wire to its corresponding terminal and return any items you previously removed.
How much does it cost to replace the transmission in a Toyota Sienna?
Prepare to spend between €5,000 and €6,000 to replace the transmission system of a Toyota Sienna. This option might be the best one to take if you exhausted your DIY options trying to fix your minivan transmission.
How do I know if the transmission in my Toyota Sienna is about to fail?
In addition to a Toyota Sienna gear stick refusing to shift into gears other than neutral, you should be on the lookout for other warning signs of transmission failure. Some of the possible symptoms to watch out for are:
unknown burning smell
gear slips
transmission fluid leak
persistent check engine light
Squealing or loud clicking noises when changing gears
In what year did the Toyota Sienna have transmission problems?
Owners of Toyota Sienna models built between 2005-2007 and 2009-2010 may experience serious transmission problems. Notably, the automaker issued a recall for affected vehicles due to a faulty shift lock assembly.
Offending Toyota Sienna minivans may have gear shifters that can be moved out of the “Park” position without human interference. If so, these vehicles can become safety hazards to nearby people and structures.
What is the average life of a Toyota Sienna?
A Toyota Sienna can last around 300,000 miles before it needs extensive repairs. Optimizing minivan mileage often requires users to follow routine maintenance checks, particularly with the vehicle’s drive system. By comparison, many vehicles will only last up to about 200,000 miles on average.
to finish
Don’t forget to fix the main reason why your Toyota Sienna won’t shift from neutral. You can use the DIY solutions highlighted in this post as they can give you long-term results. But don’t hesitate to enlist the help of experienced automotive professionals if you think minivan transmission fixing is too much for you.
If you’re looking for answers to other questions about the Toyota Sienna, check out these other great posts:
Can I add an eighth seat to the Toyota Sienna?
The door of my Toyota Sienna does not open, why? To do?
