I have an odd electrical issue with the automatic transmission lockout (and instrument cluster?).

When the vehicle sits for any significant amount of time (6 hours or more), it cranks over and starts fine, but the transmission lockout((?) won't disengage, the indicator lights on the shifter blink and click and there is a solenoid-ish sound coming from the instrument cluster (not from the relays/fuse panel).

After a minute or two of the engine running, the blinking-clicking of the shift indicator slows down enough to get it in gear, and after a few minutes of driving the shift indicator stops blinking and the shifter and the cluster stop clicking.

Once the blinking-clicking-lockout goes away, I can then start the vehicle after sitting for short periods -- less than 3-6 hours -- without an clicking-blinking-lockout issues.

With the motor not running, the battery reads about 13.1 volts (battery is one year old) and when running, the voltage across the battery reads 14.2 volts. I understand that these two measurements -- plus the fact that the motor easily cranks over, even if it sits for several weeks -- would seem to indicate that it is not an alternator problem (right?)

Anyone have an idea as to what might be going on here?

 

1. Your interlock solenoid is likely starting to fail, if you pop the bezel around the transmission shifter you can see it. It is just small metal pin that blocks the shifter movement.
2. Your XYZ switch is getting dodgy,it is underneath along side the transmission left side, check the retaining bolts if they are lose it can move and squirrel things up

 

This gets weirder.

It's cold here, and now the solenoid clicking and shifter position indicator flickering in both the instrument cluster and at the shifter is persistent -- unless, I turn on the headlights, then the clciking-flickering stops, and I can shift from park into gear.

So it seems the load of the lights chages something on the power bus?

 

The Lights are a big load on the electrical system. I would be interested in seeing if your voltage is staying or recovering back to the voltage level you were at before you turned them on. I say this because I think you have a ground issue somewhere. if you have a slightly to somewhat bad ground and lets say your system voltage is at 12volts and you turn the headlights on (significant draw) and your system voltage drops to 11 and every thing seems to work. Before at 12 volts the offending systems above are initially trying to engage and pull their circuits to ground (ground side switched is common in automotive) to complete the circuit but can't because 12v is higher voltage and their respective ground to that system is weak they cant effectively pull down, but once the lights turn on the voltage drops to say 11v now they have just enough "umph" to complete the circuit.

Think of it this way...you have 120lbs of weight on a pallet sitting on gravel/dirt tied to a rope and you hand the rope to a 10yr old kid and he tries to pull it, maybe it moves 1/4" but he just cant get it moving. Now you take 10lbs off so he only has 110lbs to pull...well that little bit was just enough to let him get the pallet moving and once he has it moving it's easier to keep it moving (or in this case keep the circuit grounded and connected). Now lets say we repeat this process over and over again eventually even the 110lbs of weight is going to be too much for him and again he won't be able to get the pallet moving without removing more weight because he is getting tired...the same thing happens with bad grounds....they get worse and eventually I think you will find that it will stop working even after the headlights are turned on. This can happen on the power side as well (think corroded positive battery terminal - as it gets worse eventually it gets to the point your car won't start.) To top it off "Cold Weather" only compounds the issue,...you don't like to do stuff in the freezing cold...neither does your vehicle.

 

Actually makes sense. Thanks for the thorough explanation.

Does the RAV have a diagram of where all the ground points are on the beast.

Also, I only have one non-stcok accessory. A trailer brake controller.

 

I know it does have diagrams showing all powers and grounds etc. locations, their diagrams are not the easiest to use...they do have a section on how to use/read them...it is very helpful to have...I printed it out for reference when I am searching through diagrams vs having to go back and forth in the rave manual (digital copy) itself.

 

FWIW, you can find all the manuals in pdf form in the google drive in my signature. download and use as you like.