Neutral safety switch location

Tiny
FXMARK2003
  • MEMBER
  • 2014 KIA SOUL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 125,828 MILES
I need to find the neutral safety switch on my engine and I can't locate it. Is there a picture you could show me to help me locate it?
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Wednesday, November 6th, 2019 AT 5:24 AM

10 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
You do not have a neutral safety switch on an automatic transmission. You have what is called a Trans-axle range switch. This is located on the top of the transmission when there shift cable attached to.

I attached a number of different pictures of what it looks like. Let me know if you have questions. Thanks
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Wednesday, November 6th, 2019 AT 4:05 PM
Tiny
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Okay, I located the part and replaced it. I did that on Thursday of last week. It's worked perfect ever since. Until today. It's doing the same thing again. It won't crank. I put it in neutral and still wouldn't crank. I let it sit for a minute. Put the hand brake on, or it in neutral again and then it cranks. Any clue what's going on with it?
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Monday, November 11th, 2019 AT 5:13 AM
Tiny
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There is a chance that this is the shift cable itself but before you do anything, I would return the part and have it exchanged because if you had an issue, replaced a part, and it was fixed then that was the issue. If it starts again, chances are that part failed. Unfortunately, I have had too many experiences with "new" parts from the parts stores that fail shortly after installation.

I included the process for the shift cable but again, I would not do this first. Also, before you replace this again, get it to act up and then press the shifter into park pretty hard and see if the vehicle starts. I suspect the sensor is telling the vehicle is not fully in park which would prevent the start.
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Monday, November 11th, 2019 AT 7:19 PM
Tiny
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I have noticed that when I park the car and I put the handbrake on I'll go to start the car and it will start right up.
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Tuesday, November 12th, 2019 AT 5:07 AM
Tiny
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Okay, well let me change that last post. It did start up when I had the handbrake on. Now it won't do anything.
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Tuesday, November 12th, 2019 AT 1:29 PM
Tiny
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Yeah. It sounds like the issue is the same. It is possible that this has all been a coincidence where you replaced the range switch and it started working but didn't actually fix it. Now it went a few days and the issue happened again.

This is why we need to rule out a bad part by having them exchange it and see if it fixes it again.
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Tuesday, November 12th, 2019 AT 6:49 PM
Tiny
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I just took the part back to exchange but it's now sleeting so I'll have to wait a day or so to install it.
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Thursday, November 14th, 2019 AT 7:09 AM
Tiny
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Sounds good. Keep us updated. Thanks
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Thursday, November 14th, 2019 AT 6:36 PM
Tiny
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Okay, just I just replaced the part with the new one and same result, it will not crank.
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Friday, November 15th, 2019 AT 1:26 PM
Tiny
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Okay. Do you have a scan tool or a way to check for codes? Also, we need to see what the ECM says as the transmission position. If it says park or neutral than there is another issue. But I suspect we will have some codes that will point us in the right direction.
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Friday, November 15th, 2019 AT 7:30 PM

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