Patent ID: 7658123

Claim:
A shift range switching apparatus comprising: an automatic transmission that includes a shift range switching device having a control rod for switching an actual shift range corresponding to rotation angle of the control rod; an electric actuator that includes an electric motor and an output shaft connecting with the control rod, the electric actuator switching the actual shift range by rotating the control rod via the output shaft; an assembly regulating device that allows the electric actuator to be detachable from and attachable to the automatic transmission when the actual shift range of the shift range switching device is set at a specific shift range; a motor controller that controls rotation angle of the output shaft by operating the electric motor; a transmission housing; and an electric actuator housing for accommodating the electric actuator, wherein the motor controller operates the actual shift range by controlling rotation angle of the control rod, the motor controller includes a startup shift range recognizing unit that stores a position of the shift range in a memory when supplying electricity to the motor controller is terminated, the startup shift range recognizing unit restores the position of the shift range stored in the memory when supplying electricity to the motor controller is resumed, thereby recognizing the position of the shift range, wherein the assembly regulating device allows the control rod to be detachable from and attachable to the output shaft at only one angle, one of the control rod and the output shaft has a non-groove portion, an other of the control rod and the output shaft has a non-tooth portion, one of the electric actuator housing and the transmission housing includes a boss having an end provided with a stopper, the stopper enables the control rod and the output shaft to be assembled to the boss only when both the non-groove portion and the non-tooth portion are in a predetermined position of the shift range.