SOLVED!! Clicking from shifter console whenever brakes are applied (Was: What is the normal operation for Shift Lockout Solenoid on 2005+ LC/LX?)

[WannaCruise]

Hello all,

I'm moving this question to a discrete thread for visibility.
I've recently noticed the Shift Lockout Solenoid (the "click" you hear when you press the brake pedal to shift out of park) is happening every time I touch the brakes, even when I'm driving down the road. I don't recall the solenoid activating once the transmission is out of park. It's one of those noises that I feel that I would have noticed this before so perhaps it's something new...

My ask is if anyone confirm that the solenoid activates when the brake pedal is pressed when you are in drive (or reverse, etc).

Thank you in advance.

 

[2001LC]

Interestingly. I had one, that was very very loud, each tap of brake pedal, IG key ON, engine off.

I saw improvement (reduced sound). After doing a ZPC. (Zero point calibration) through tech stream, ABS.
In VGRS system. I also cleared all flags and calibrated steering angle, etc.

Vehicle must be level. Then enter tech stream (TS), ABS.

Once ZPC done. Drive around for awhile see if improvement.
It not be nesassary, but you can then go into TS VGRS and do calibration, in 2003 -2007.

 

[WannaCruise]

OK after digging into the electrical diagram, I see that the shift lock ECU has a switch called "Shift Lock Control SW". Perhaps this detects the position of the shift lever and either energizes the solenoid or not... If it's stuck in the "park" mode, the solenoid would continue firing with every touch of the brakes.

I'll see if I can find where that switch lives...

 

[WannaCruise]

And I found this in the "new feature" portion of the most excellent gethub repository:

It looks like this "feature" was added back in 2004...

 

[WannaCruise]

SOLVED...

Well, my suspicions were correct... It WAS a switch in the shifter mechanism that was sticking. When the switch I pointed out in the schematic is depressed, the Shift Interlock ECU thinks the car is in park so pressing the brake pedal energizes the shift lock solenoid. After removing the center console cover, the shift gate cover, and the clear plastic I realized just how filthy that area had become. There are three switches, the one on the top is the one that was causing the problem:

A thorough cleaning and a dab of white lithium grease made the switch work like new. Here is the cleaned, and functional switch in action. I'm showing how the solenoid activates even when out of park if the switch is jammed..



FYI, apparently this shift lock is specific to the 2005+ LC/LX.

 

[WannaCruise]

I updated the title to make it easier to search for the symptom.