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 the right foot and set the parking brake.
- Move the shift lever into PARK (P) like this:
- Push the lever all the way toward the front of the vehicle.
- Turn the ignition key to OFF.
- 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 PARK (P).
Press in and hold the shift lever button, located on the front of the shift lever.
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 the vehicle must be left with the engine running, be sure it is in PARK (P) and the parking brake is firmly set before leaving it. After the shift lever is moved into PARK (P) hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if the shift lever can be moved away from PARK (P), without first pushing the shift lever button. If this can be done, it means that the shift lever was not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If the vehicle is parked on a hill and the transaxle is not shifted into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in the transaxle. It may be difficult to move 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 leaving the driver's seat. To find out how, see Shifting Into Park .
When the vehicle is ready to be driven, move the shift lever out of PARK (P) before releasing the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, another vehicle might have to push your vehicle uphill. This should take some of the pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle, so that the shift lever can be moved out of PARK (P).
