Getting a “Shift to Park” message on your vehicle is not a simple notification for many drivers, especially for Chevy owners. This alert could not only pop up and beep at random times of the day, but it signifies that it could lock up your transmission anytime.
For GM motor vehicles, this could mean being unable to shut your engine and getting locked inside. GM motors are currently facing multiple lawsuits because the owners got trapped in their vehicles for not being able to turn their engines off or removing their ignition keys.
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This alert could cause unnecessary delays and missed appointments or meetings. It can be frustrating to be in this situation. Some drivers still receive this message even though they shifted the transmission to the park position.
In some cars like Mercedes, this message is equivalent to ” Transmission not in park (position),” where the computer asks you to shift to park mode.
In June 2022, Ford recalled almost 3 million cars due to faulty bushings connected to shifter cables. And even the shifter shows that it is in the park position, the models recalled risks of rolling away. However, most of these vehicles did not receive a “Transmission not in Park” alert or beeping.
Therefore, the message Transmission not in Park or Shift to Park is an alert you should not ignore.
To move on from this situation, you need to know why your vehicle is telling you to shift to park mode.
What Does Shift to Park Message Mean?
The park alert icon is a safety mechanism that will lock your transmission, prevent your car from being left in gear mode, and cause it to roll away. When your dash tells you to shift to park, the system does not recognize that you have engaged in the park mode even if you did. It is telling you that your transmission has not yet shifted to park mode.
Here are the instances when you need to shift to park mode.
- When you need to park your car
- When you are parking on an inclined surface like the hill
- When you are parking on a flat surface
- When you have to turn your engine off
Reasons Why the “Shift to Park” Alert Shows
This alert shows for a reason and engineers designed them to keep your vehicle from rolling away. To understand what is going on, here are the reasons why the warning shows.
1) Faulty latch sensor
A faulty latch sensor should trigger the Door Ajar warning. However, the defective latch sensor could falsely sense it is still open even if you have closed it and instruct you to shift gears instead.
In this event, your dash will display the “Transmission not in Park” message. Your computer gives you this instruction because it senses that you will leave the vehicle when your transmission is in Reverse, Neutral, or Drive.
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It is common to receive this message when you have closed the door, but it is still open, and you are in drive, neutral, or reverse. Try shifting into park mode until the message goes out. And have your latch checked or scanned to replace the faulty latch sensor.
2) Shifter cable problems
The shifter cable links the transmission and shifter handle. A damaged and overly stretched or disconnected shifter cable is dangerous. During this time, pulling or pushing your shifter lever will be difficult.
The most probable reason your shifter cable was damaged is that it often moves along when shifting gears. It gets stretched too often, especially for manual transmission. Sometimes it bends or breaks, making it hard for the lever to move into the correct gear position.
A stretched-out shifter cable will prevent your car from engaging in park mode, turning the ignition off, or removing your car key. At this point, most owners get frustrated over being stuck with their vehicles that would not turn off. To date, GM Motors is still facing lawsuits over vehicles that trapped owners in their vehicles, unknowing what gear they are on.
All this happens because your car has a safety feature that will disable it from starting on neutral or parking. If you have a manual transmission, this safety feature will prevent your vehicle from cranking when it is set to another gear. At this point, when you cannot turn your engine off, it could be dangerous because you do not know if your vehicle is in the right gear.
Sadly, this problem is something you cannot fix unless you are a qualified technician. You must bring your vehicle to your service shop for accurate diagnosis and repair.
3) Bad transmission shift solenoid
The transmissions shift solenoid ensures that shifting gears run smoothly. When your car’s computer thinks it has to shift gears, it sends the solenoid the power to open the valves to let the transmission fluid flow. This hydraulic pressure enables the transmission to shift gears.
However, this electro-mechanical component also fails. The first reason is low transmission levels. It could lead to overheating, which can damage your shift solenoid. Next, electrical issues could damage your shift solenoid. Check it for loose connections, corrosion, and voltage applied. Dirty transmission fluid could also cause the solenoid to get stuck being closed or opened. And lastly, it can damage because of wear and tear.
When your transmission solenoid suffers from any of these, it affects its performance. With a faulty transmission solenoid, you may end up getting stuck in one gear without knowing it. Or, you will also find shifting gears difficult. When the valve remains open, your transmission could overheat. When stuck closed, it may slip or not engage when needed. This condition can be unsafe to find it uncontrollable when it starts shaking.
The best thing you can do is check the transmission fluid, go to your mechanic for scanning, and replace the solenoid as soon as possible.
4) Brake light switch problems
The brake light switch signals the computer and drivers that the brakes are depressed. Buts since the computer knew that the brakes were depressed, it concludes that shifting to the park is not safe. If the shift lever interlock receives a signal you have pressed the brake, you may shift gear.
You could find something wrong with your brake lights when they stay switched on or do not work at all. In this case, you must bring your vehicle to your trusted mechanic to replace it.
Why Does my Vehicle not Recognize I’m in Park?
Here are the possible reasons your computer does not recognize your vehicle is not in the park.
- Your interlock shift solenoid is defective.
- The shift interlock system is malfunctioning.
- Your shifter must have been blocked.
- Your shifter cable must have been damaged.
- Park, drive, and neutral switches must have been defective.
Can I Drive with a Shift to Park Message?
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In most cases, you will not be able to ignite your vehicle. During these times, you may not remove your key. Newer cars with electronic shift levers will not let your car move out of park unless you have depressed the pedal.
If you parked on an inclined surface like a hill, you may not switch it out of gear. A safety feature utilizes a locking pin to keep the transmission in place.
And if ever you could turn the engine on, you’d probably receive the same alert at random times of the day. Most Chevy owners have shared with us how they have to wiggle and jiggle the shifter multiple times before it successfully shifts into the park and works.
This event would not only cause frustration, but driving could be unsafe. In these cases, you will never know what gear you are on. And the worst part is you might not have the idea that you are in a different gear position.
So as soon as you get this alert, bring it to your technician for an accurate diagnosis.
What to Do if you Find Shift to Park Message on your Dash?
Here’s how you may be able to fix the shift-to-park message.
- Turn your engine on, then shift to park.
- Turn it off, then get your key.
- Press and hold your shifter’s button for about five to ten seconds.
- Turn your engine on, then shift to drive.
Resetting your computer must have fixed the Shift-to-park message.
How to Diagnose Shift to Park Alert?
Here is what you should inspect when you find your dash popping a Shift to Park alert.
- Check your brake lights if it is working. Remember, shifting to the park will not engage with malfunctioning brake lights.
- Inspect your shifter cable for signs of wear and tear.
- Check your transmission fluid levels.
- Check if the message shows only when closing the door and your gear is in drive, neutral, or reverse.
- Bring it to your mechanic ASAP to get it scanned to see which components are affected.
Final Thoughts
Any alert icons in your dashboard are there for a reason, including a Shift to Park message. It is a safety feature developed to improve safety in your car.
However, its components could suffer from wear and tear over time and fail to work. These mechanical and electrical failures could trigger this alert.
To avoid receiving this message, do not forget to shift to park mode when it needs to.
When your vehicle is in motion, apply the parking brakes before shifting to park.
Finally, make sure your transmission is engaged when shifting. A lot of problems go with park setting not being engaged. If not, then there’s a problem with your assembly.
While most of these problems are not DIY, always have a trusted technician to work with your car when you need to.
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