# Prius shifting into opposite gear than selected

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-shifting-into-opposite-gear-than-selected/86603>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** prius, shifters\
**Created:** [August 14, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-shifting-into-opposite-gear-than-selected/86603 "2014-08-14T18:41:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RBB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@RBB](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RBB)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-shifting-into-opposite-gear-than-selected/86603/1 "2014-08-14T18:41:55Z")

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My 2006 prius when first started after sitting a while, when manually shifted into Reverse the car will shift into drive instead and vise versa. The mechanics say its impossible BUT IT"S HAPPENING! It has already cost me over a thousand dollars in damages, it may some day be a critical safty issue—ANY answers out there

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-shifting-into-opposite-gear-than-selected/86603/2 "2014-08-14T18:48:34Z")

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I’d take it to a dealer immediately. Have you asked this on Priuschat?

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**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-shifting-into-opposite-gear-than-selected/86603/3 "2014-08-14T20:36:39Z")

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What mechanics have you seen so far? How often does this happen? Can you be more specific about the damages?

To me, this sounds like a critical safety issue right now, not some day.

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**Author:** ![wesw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wesw/32/2713_2.png) [@wesw](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wesw)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-shifting-into-opposite-gear-than-selected/86603/4 "2014-08-14T20:44:54Z")

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I don t know how a prius’ linkage is set up or if it even has mechanical linkage, but I have had a vehicle that the linkage would slip and when I put it in drive it would occasionally shift only as far as reverse, then if I shifted all the way to drive 1 , then shifted back to reverse it would end up in drive instead.

if your prius is shifted electrically, there may be a short circuit somehow causing the problem.

if its happening, see another mechanic who will take you seriously.  
even if your description is slightly inaccurate, something is wrong and should be investigated

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**Author:** ![SteveC76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SteveC76](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveC76)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-shifting-into-opposite-gear-than-selected/86603/5 "2014-08-14T23:53:19Z")

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What gear is indicated on the dash? The car is all eletronic. Has it been in a crash or anything spilled into the shifter area. I have worked for Toyota since the Prius has came out and have never heard of this happening.