Caution: It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. The vehicle can roll. If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly level ground, use the steps that follow. If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer .

If the vehicle has a steering column shift lever, use this procedure to shift the vehicle into P (Park):

1. Hold the brake pedal down.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pulling the shift lever toward you and moving it up as far as it will go.
3. With your foot still holding the brake pedal down, set the parking brake. See Parking Brake for more information.
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle with the ignition key in your hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).

If the vehicle is equipped with a console shift lever, use this procedure to shift the vehicle into P (Park):

1. Hold the brake pedal down.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pushing the lever all the way toward the front of the vehicle and then to the left.
3. While keeping the brake pedal applied, set the parking brake. See Parking Brake for more information.
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle with the ignition key in your hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).

Caution: It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat and even catch fire. You or others could be injured. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine running.

If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running, be sure your vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. See Parking Brake for more information.

Torque lock is when the weight of the vehicle puts too much force on the parking pawl in the transmission. This happens when parking on a hill and shifting the transmission into P (Park) is not done properly and then it is difficult to shift out of P (Park). To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift into P (Park). To find out how, see "Shifting Into Park" in this section.

If torque lock does occur, your vehicle may need to be pushed uphill by another vehicle to relieve the parking pawl pressure, so you can shift out of P (Park).