Any AT gurus?

My 2007 Tundra tow pig, has developed the annoying habit of not going out of park into reverse.  In full disclosure, all of my toys / project cards have had manual transmissions, so have zero AT knowledge.  This happened once or twice before over the last few years, but usually messing with the steering wheel, shutting it off, etc, would get it into reverse.  Over the last couple of weeks, it's happened multiple times.  First time I was about to call a tow, when a quick google told me the truck has a lock-out release button on the top of the column.  This has always immediately allowed the car to go into reverse since then.

Are we talking an electrical problem, ie, it doesn't think the brake is pressed? Or is there a mechanical issue in the column?  It's a 4.7 Tundra so its a column mounted shifter.

Thanks!

When you press the brake, the ECM sends a signal to a servo-operated latch in the column.  It pulls the latch out of the way allowing you to pull back which is what allows it to pull down.

My guess is that something about the servo or the latch is inop.  Intermittent connection, bad servo, sticky grease full of dust, something like that.

The release on the column is simply a mechanical thing that pushes the latch out of the way.

could also be an intermittent brake light switch which you could figure out by seeing if the brake lights work when the Shifter is stuck.

It may have two separate contacts in the switch, though.

Manipulating the emergency release making it work normally again makes me think it is the solenoid in the column.  Until it acts up again, it is just guessing.

90% sure this is the little solenoid/servo that pops out of the way when the brake is pressed letting you shift.

Search 07 Tundra shift interlock solenoid.

You get a few million results which makes me think this is a pretty common Tundra issue.

This happened to me on a 1996 Chevy, so I just removed it.

Thanks Curtis and others. Problem solved.  Once I learned it was electrical, checked for brake lights (none).  Checked fuses (fine), and then the switch at the pedal.  It was quite gummy.  Cleaned it up a bit, and all seems well in the world, but I'll get a new one, as the $17 is worth not having to deal with it again.  Interesting, you can hear the solenoid click in the steering wheel when the pedal is applied and the car running.  Never really noticed it before.

That was easy!

Glad to hear it.