GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

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 .

To shift into P (Park), use the following steps:

  1. Hold the brake pedal down.
  2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pressing the button on the front of the shift lever while pushing the lever all the way toward the front of the vehicle. Release the button.
  3. With your foot still holding the brake pedal down, set the parking brake. See Parking Brake for more information.
  4. Turn the ignition off.

Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine Running

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 leave the vehicle with the engine running, the vehicle must be in P (Park) and the parking brake set. After shifting into P (Park), try to move the shift lever out without first pushing the button on the shift lever. If you can, the shift lever was not fully locked into P (Park).

Torque Lock

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 P (Park)" listed previously.

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).