My 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid (automatic transmission) has a small electrical issue inside of the shifter, or whatever the technical name is for the P,R,N,D hand-shifter thing is.

When I move the shifter from P->R (park to reverse) the white reverse-lights on the rear of the vehicle don't come on unless I hold the shifter in a certain way. The car is physically in "reverse" and the transmission works, it's just an electrical contract that flickers. I can hear small electrical "clicks" when I wiggle the shifter front-to-back and the back lights flicker.

It seems that this same electrical contact causing the lights to not come on, or flicker, is also responsible for telling the engine computer what gear it's in, because the idle speed sometimes changes depending on the reverse lights being on.

Can I open up the shifter and fix this myself? I received a quote from the dealership and it was over $400 to replace this part. Perhaps I could find a part at a salvage yard?

Thanks Civic folks!

 

open it up and look for the problem
maybe you spilled something down there that is interfering with an electrical connection down there or something

 

I wound try opening it up and get a diagram of the electrical for your car(shifter)...find it online...If you take the time to read about the problem you will figure it out...me and my friend always mess with the electrical in his mazdaspeed 3(turbo timer,e-brake, etc.) And try not to buy any parts from the dealership unless you can not find it anywhere else...they charged me 17 bucks for a screw that i later found for a buck somewhere else.