I removed mine by cutting with an oscillating cutter. Used flat side of shaft that comes through switch as a guide, split in half… re-assembled with antisieze. Easy!
Great video and great advice. This layout was identical to my old 2005 2nd Gen Tacoma. I let it soak with PB Blaster overnight, and bought a Plumbers Puller by Superior Tool for like 15 bucks. That made things so easy once I pulled out the 02 sensor. Staying patient when I was installing the new part was EVERYTHING. Lots of gentle hammer taps with the help of a small wood block was the trick for me.
Thanks for taking the video and sharing with others. Even if there are other alternatives, you are to be thanked for showing everyone how to get started and how to access the part. There are so many parts that are absolutely outrageously positioned when you have to replace them. Unless the car/truck is nearly new or isn't in the rust belt, many of the bolts/nuts are practically welded in place. I can't count the number of times I've been lying under my vehicle around midnight (after starting early in the AM) and only wishing the engineer(s) who designed the placement of the part were next to me so I could use my hammer to pound on them.
I cut mine out with a Dremel tool with Carbide Bits from Amazon. It took a couple of hours but came right out. The front of the neutral safety switch is aluminum and the back is plastic. I removed the large nut and cut all the way around it with the Dremel. After about 45 minutes, it popped right out! Good luck!
HERE'S A DIFFERENT APPROACH. I thought this looked like a good approach. Bought the slide hammer and extended rod and coupling (the hammer I bought required 5/8 x 18-pitch. Problem was on my 2008 Pre-Runner, there was no way to get a decent approach with the slide hammer without removing the catalytic converter (which I was not about to do). Here is what worked: 1) Take the nut and washer off the shaft. 2) Use a screwdriver and hammer to knock off the exposed part of the threading (on the sensor) that go around the shaft. Go ahead - break them off! 3) Put a grinding stone on a dremmel and go all the way around the shaft with it. Do not be shy...hit it! Make it smooth and shiny. 4) Put some lube on the now-shiny shaft. 5) Maneuver a small flat pry-bar behind the sensor. I also had to put a screw driver behind the prybar against the transmission house to get leverage for the prybar. Then it came right off. 6) Put some axel grease on the shaft before installing new sensor. If you want to use the slide hammer method, here are the links to what you need to buy (total of $70): hammer: www.amazon.com/dp/B01BUI5X6Q?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title rod: www.amazon.com/dp/B002CU00SI?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title coupling nut: www.amazon.com/dp/B00L1L6E8Y?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
God dammit that does not look easy. I had read about this many time, but thought it should be alot easier than that!! Congrats on getting it done and also thanks for filming it. Camera angles appear to be very difficult with little room to spare.
Thanks so much for sharing this. I am going to change mine on '11 4runner soon (as soon as the new NSS gets here). I have one question which I may have looked over, but - at the end, after you have left the 12mm slightly loose to allow play, you go inside and run through the gears. Once you have done that, did you say you went back under and tightened down the 12mm? Or do you leave it with a slight amount of play? Maybe a silly ?, but I appreciate you. Thanks again! -Joe
Tighten the 12mm bolt when you verify all the gears are lined up. If the position does not match the indicator on the dash then the NSS has to be adjusted
At 12:41 in the video that is what happened to me. Keep working on sanding and cleaning and tapping it back on to get in closer to clean. I left a link in the description for the dent puller I used . You can do it!
I’ve done many, many backyard jobs in my day but this one pushed me over the edge. This video was also useless for me because I broke off the switch and it’s just the goddamn chinesium crap stuck on the shaft
If you look at 12:29 in the video it will show that my neutral safety switch also broke into pieces, and all that was left was the round collar. I ended up tapping a collar back and towards the transmission and sanding down the shaft really well and then the collar slid off. Hope this helps.
So what all was going on with yours? My 4 runner can go into all the gears without foot on the break and is causing my radio and the little dash that shows your control to stay on
Mine was difficult to shift and did not always show I was in gear or neutral so it caused issues with 4Lo. These can also be adjusted about a quarter in forward or backward if your is not showing that it is in the correct position
@@jakemir mine just goes into gear without foot on the break. And makes my radio and stuff stay on. I’m going to change this part and hope that fixes it
What does the dash display show? Does it light up in P and R and N as you move the shift lever? They should match, if it does not match this part would be the issue. You can also unplug the part without removing it and see what happens
It’s located under the vehicle passenger side of transmission and it’s a standard automotive blog with a clip. It sounds like your is out of adjustment
Anybody experience a delay going into Drive after replacing the NSS? I had mine replaced and right after started having a delay going into D if I use R at all. Doesn't happen every time but about 25% of the time - certainly enough to be a big pain. Not sure if it could be a defective part or something else.
Normally it is a starter issue. They can be adjusted. Loosen the side bolt and adjust the position and retighten. Was this an OEM Toyota part? Here is a link www.tcorolla.net/adjustment-1174.html
@@jakemir yes! last month i did this repair and reset on a 2007 tacoma in a drive way. i saw the use of a slide hammer and it clicked in head to try the crow bar with pb blaster and i got the switch off in less than 10 min.
I chiseled off the threaded portion, sanded the shaft a lot, heated it with a torch, and pried like crazy. Still very hard. Tolerances are way to close. Shame on Toyota for this crap. Hard to believe this was considered to be a good idea.
I removed mine by cutting with an oscillating cutter. Used flat side of shaft that comes through switch as a guide, split in half… re-assembled with antisieze. Easy!
Great video and great advice. This layout was identical to my old 2005 2nd Gen Tacoma. I let it soak with PB Blaster overnight, and bought a Plumbers Puller by Superior Tool for like 15 bucks. That made things so easy once I pulled out the 02 sensor. Staying patient when I was installing the new part was EVERYTHING. Lots of gentle hammer taps with the help of a small wood block was the trick for me.
Thanks for taking the video and sharing with others. Even if there are other alternatives, you are to be thanked for showing everyone how to get started and how to access the part. There are so many parts that are absolutely outrageously positioned when you have to replace them. Unless the car/truck is nearly new or isn't in the rust belt, many of the bolts/nuts are practically welded in place.
I can't count the number of times I've been lying under my vehicle around midnight (after starting early in the AM) and only wishing the engineer(s) who designed the placement of the part were next to me so I could use my hammer to pound on them.
Best neutral switch video (for this vehicle) on TH-cam. Thank you!!
Appreciate the positive feedback. This was a struggle to remove
I cut mine out with a Dremel tool with Carbide Bits from Amazon. It took a couple of hours but came right out. The front of the neutral safety switch is aluminum and the back is plastic. I removed the large nut and cut all the way around it with the Dremel. After about 45 minutes, it popped right out! Good luck!
Glad it worked for you. Definitely a tight spot to work in without a lift to work under
HERE'S A DIFFERENT APPROACH. I thought this looked like a good approach. Bought the slide hammer and extended rod and coupling (the hammer I bought required 5/8 x 18-pitch. Problem was on my 2008 Pre-Runner, there was no way to get a decent approach with the slide hammer without removing the catalytic converter (which I was not about to do).
Here is what worked:
1) Take the nut and washer off the shaft.
2) Use a screwdriver and hammer to knock off the exposed part of the threading (on the sensor) that go around the shaft. Go ahead - break them off!
3) Put a grinding stone on a dremmel and go all the way around the shaft with it. Do not be shy...hit it! Make it smooth and shiny.
4) Put some lube on the now-shiny shaft.
5) Maneuver a small flat pry-bar behind the sensor. I also had to put a screw driver behind the prybar against the transmission house to get leverage for the prybar. Then it came right off.
6) Put some axel grease on the shaft before installing new sensor.
If you want to use the slide hammer method, here are the links to what you need to buy (total of $70):
hammer: www.amazon.com/dp/B01BUI5X6Q?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
rod: www.amazon.com/dp/B002CU00SI?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
coupling nut: www.amazon.com/dp/B00L1L6E8Y?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
I could not find any other way at the time I did it. I do not have a small Dremel, but that will be a perfect solution. It is such a tight space.
Great video! Did any of the symptoms of a bad NSS include a no crank with ignition in "start" position?
No, I replaced mine because it was difficult to move through different gear positions
Thanks for the video! This is the exact same with my 2008 Tacoma.
God dammit that does not look easy. I had read about this many time, but thought it should be alot easier than that!! Congrats on getting it done and also thanks for filming it. Camera angles appear to be very difficult with little room to spare.
Thanks, I believe it's the same on my Tacoma.
Getting ready to do this on a 99. Good info so I will be ready. Thank you.
Nice video! These are a pain to remove without breaking them! I broke two and ended up have to buy a new one which isn't exactly cheap.
Thanks so much for sharing this. I am going to change mine on '11 4runner soon (as soon as the new NSS gets here). I have one question which I may have looked over, but - at the end, after you have left the 12mm slightly loose to allow play, you go inside and run through the gears. Once you have done that, did you say you went back under and tightened down the 12mm? Or do you leave it with a slight amount of play? Maybe a silly ?, but I appreciate you. Thanks again!
-Joe
Tighten the 12mm bolt when you verify all the gears are lined up. If the position does not match the indicator on the dash then the NSS has to be adjusted
ok. thanks a million@@jakemir
I just took my switch off but the aluminum is embedded in the steel shaft. I need to go buy one of them slap hammers its my last try at this pos
At 12:41 in the video that is what happened to me. Keep working on sanding and cleaning and tapping it back on to get in closer to clean. I left a link in the description for the dent puller I used . You can do it!
I’ve done many, many backyard jobs in my day but this one pushed me over the edge. This video was also useless for me because I broke off the switch and it’s just the goddamn chinesium crap stuck on the shaft
If you look at 12:29 in the video it will show that my neutral safety switch also broke into pieces, and all that was left was the round collar. I ended up tapping a collar back and towards the transmission and sanding down the shaft really well and then the collar slid off. Hope this helps.
So what all was going on with yours? My 4 runner can go into all the gears without foot on the break and is causing my radio and the little dash that shows your control to stay on
Mine was difficult to shift and did not always show I was in gear or neutral so it caused issues with 4Lo. These can also be adjusted about a quarter in forward or backward if your is not showing that it is in the correct position
@@jakemir mine just goes into gear without foot on the break. And makes my radio and stuff stay on. I’m going to change this part and hope that fixes it
What does the dash display show? Does it light up in P and R and N as you move the shift lever? They should match, if it does not match this part would be the issue. You can also unplug the part without removing it and see what happens
@@jakemir it does match I think I’d have to check. It goes into gear fine. But it shouldn’t go into gear without break pushed in. How do I unplug it?
It’s located under the vehicle passenger side of transmission and it’s a standard automotive blog with a clip. It sounds like your is out of adjustment
Anybody experience a delay going into Drive after replacing the NSS? I had mine replaced and right after started having a delay going into D if I use R at all. Doesn't happen every time but about 25% of the time - certainly enough to be a big pain. Not sure if it could be a defective part or something else.
Normally it is a starter issue. They can be adjusted. Loosen the side bolt and adjust the position and retighten. Was this an OEM Toyota part? Here is a link
www.tcorolla.net/adjustment-1174.html
Would this be the same for a 1st gen 2005 sequoia 2wd
It should be the same if you have the 4.7 V8.
Hey I found an easier way to do this. All you need is a crowbar with a hook 🪝 side. Still took a little effort but this was just took much dude
I hope I do not have to do that job again. It looked easy but the corrosion was the big problem
@@jakemir yes! last month i did this repair and reset on a 2007 tacoma in a drive way. i saw the use of a slide hammer and it clicked in head to try the crow bar with pb blaster and i got the switch off in less than 10 min.
I chiseled off the threaded portion, sanded the shaft a lot, heated it with a torch, and pried like crazy. Still very hard. Tolerances are way to close. Shame on Toyota for this crap. Hard to believe this was considered to be a good idea.
@@philippinelife712 tap the collar back towards the transmission and sand it again, then oil and try again
Spray it with WD40. First, then replace if the WD 40 doesn’t work
I used litihum grease...works great butter smooth, did the shifter rod does not evaporate or run away like wd40
✓