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 .
- Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and set the parking brake.
- Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position by pulling the shift lever toward you and moving it up as far as it will go.
- Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
- Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your 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 have to leave your vehicle with the engine running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and the parking brake is firmly set. After the shift lever is moved into PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move the shift lever away from PARK (P) without first pulling it toward you. If you can, it means that the shift lever was not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the vehicle can put too much force on the parking pawl in the transmission. It might be difficult to pull the shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called torque lock. To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver's seat. To find out how, see Shifting Into Park .
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of PARK (P) before releasing the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you might need to have another vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission. Then you should be able to pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
