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I have a 95 Lexus LS 400 that will start in park just fine and neutral as well but if you try to shift into reverse the starter re-engages and will not stop until you shift back to park or neutral. I have combed every site that I know of and am totally stumped. Any ideas what could cause this? It just started with no warning. Thanks for any help you can offer. I am a 52 year old female shade tree but Dad trained me on Ford Mustang GTs. He is gone now and I am a little lost on the Lexus.
It maybe something in the transmission that sounds like the starter re energizing. I really can't think of an electrical way for that to happen, not saying there isn't a possibility that you are correct and that is what is happening. Hmmm its not real likely but if some how one of the terminal nuts was loose on the starter the torque movement of the engine could cause that to happen. The battery wire or solenoid wire connectors would have to touch. Sooo that is my best guess. I just thought of that after mentioning the first part of my response. Your best bet would be to buy or borrow a video bore scope and look under the intake manifold at those connections.
You know how you cannot start the car in any gear but park and neutral? I’d assume there is a short in that trigger wire that disables the starter when in any driving gear and it’s now doing the opposite, activating the starter.
I have a 95 Lexus LS 400 that will start in park just fine and neutral as well but if you try to shift into reverse the starter re-engages and will not stop until you shift back to park or neutral. I have combed every site that I know of and am totally stumped. Any ideas what could cause this? It just started with no warning. Thanks for any help you can offer. I am a 52 year old female shade tree but Dad trained me on Ford Mustang GTs. He is gone now and I am a little lost on the Lexus.
I am thinking it is your neutral safety switch which also includes power to the reverse lights. If moisture flooded the shifter area, it is conceivable that reverse light power could be hitting the starter interrupt. I can check my manual tomorrow for a schematic. In the meantime, if you do have a recall of dumping the coffee/big slurpie, that switch would need to be dried thoroughly.
Or, I could be all wet here, myself.
Colin
One of the NSS's function is to tell ECU which shift position is selected. The second function is to inhibit the starter relay to work except at P and N positions, the third one is to supply the DC12V to the back up lights when at R. When the insulation between the last 2 is poor, it may cause the starter relay to work and the starter is energized.
I believe your car's NSS is quite a mess inside. There may be copper dusts and badly worn contacts and it causes the short-circuiting of the DC12V and the starter relay line.
Thank you all for the help. Now that the hurricane has passed I can start working on the evil beast once again. I will try to keep up with what works and doesn't work so it can be shared with others. Thanks again!!!! I thought you might like to see the evil thing while it is still intact and I don't something really bad to her.!!! BTW She is for sale if anyone is interested. I am trying to get everything running right before I let her go but if anyone is interested like she it let me know. Only problems is this starter thing, it wants a catastrophic converter (that's my reference for a catalytic converter) it may be ok just needs tweaking and one bulb in the rear lights. otherwise she is good, new tires etc. In the meantime though I shall proceed in trying to fix the starter problem.
Starter re-engages when shift into reverse
and one bulb in the rear lights. otherwise she is good, new tires etc. In the meantime though I shall proceed in trying to fix the starter problem.
