Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Transaxle park/neutral start switch

I'm unfamiliar with auto trannys, and the car i need help on isn't even Domestic, but here goes:

The girlfriend's '89 Camry won't crank when you turn the key. I've eliminated the battery and the solenoid/starter as problems.

The next thing on my list is the Neutral Start Switch. How does it work? I assume that if the tranny isn't in Park or Neutral, then the engine wont crank. Or will it crank and not start, like a kill switch? Which is it?

Now, does the Neutral Start Switch take care of this lock-out for both Park AND Neutral, or just Neutral, with something else working for Park?

When I turn the key to (RUN), I can hear the relay in the engine compartment fuse box click, and I can hear something in the intake manifold click. I know the car is getting power, cause I can jump the battery straight to the solenoid and the car starts and runs fine. Thats what makes me think it's the NSS or a short somewhere in the starter circuit. I've been checking grounds and every electrical connector I can find, with no avail.

Please help...

Jed

the nss is basicaly a kinda reverse kill switch, if the switch is tripped ie in P and in N the car will start, if it is not tripped ie in a gear the car wont start HTH

anybody else? Somebody has to have more info on this sort of thing...

Please??

Jed

I don't know Toyota, but usually the neutral safety switch does not permit current to the starter relay / solonoid unless the trans is in either neutral or park. The same switch does both.

On most cars today, the neutral safety switch is more than that, it is also the transmission manual level range selector sensor (MLPS) and it tells the computer which gear you have selected with the shift lever.

My limited experience with Japanese designs tells me that you should also be looking the the ignition switch as well as the starter relay (starter solonoid, piggy back on the starter).

Good luck.