Help - gear selector stuck in park

grantza said:
They came and conquered.
Connected a laptop to the car - everything appeared ok.
They then rocked mine gently back and forth a couple of times - suddenly a "beep" came out of mine - guy jumped into mine started it & got it into neutral.
Took it for a spin around the area manually shifting thru gears.
Was told it should be good, but to bring it in for a new relay and some connecter on monday.
Click to expand...

Can tell you now exactly what happened...

When you put the car in park, foot on brake, turn off car, release brake... what happens? car rolls back a little bit...
Gear selector shifts slightly, jammed the safety lock at a funny angle that couldn't release.

Best practice is to stop car, foot on brake, put in park, HANDBRAKE, foot off brake, turn off.

You also avoid unnecessary damage to the gearbox with this technique... since the oil doesn't circulate once the ignition is off.
My mom had a '92 300SE and she ALWAYS let the car rock back on the parking brake once she turned off. After a few years, gear shifts became increasingly "jolty" because the selector sprocket was so worn by doing it. (We're talking 8 or 9 years)
 
OverKill69 said:
Can tell you now exactly what happened...

When you put the car in park, foot on brake, turn off car, release brake... what happens? car rolls back a little bit...
Gear selector shifts slightly, jammed the safety lock at a funny angle that couldn't release.

Best practice is to stop car, foot on brake, put in park, HANDBRAKE, foot off brake, turn off.

You also avoid unnecessary damage to the gearbox with this technique... since the oil doesn't circulate once the ignition is off.
My mom had a '92 300SE and she ALWAYS let the car rock back on the parking brake once she turned off. After a few years, gear shifts became increasingly "jolty" because the selector sprocket was so worn by doing it. (We're talking 8 or 9 years)
Click to expand...

My Merc does that. Except it always gets out fine, it's just a little jerk where the car moves slightly. It happens on driveways if the rear wheels are on the curb, and when I take it out of Park, it sounds/does like that.
 
Next time read the manual.

Every automatic has an override to at least get it into neutral.
 
Watch any American show/movie and notice how they get out of their cars. It's always rocking backwards or forwards like they don't have handbrakes (American branded cars mostly).
 
Jewpacabra said:
Watch any American show/movie and notice how they get out of their cars. It's always rocking backwards or forwards like they don't have handbrakes (American branded cars mostly).
Click to expand...

That's their kuk suspension where it oscillates for 2 minutes after coming to a stop :D
 
OverKill69 said:
Can tell you now exactly what happened...

When you put the car in park, foot on brake, turn off car, release brake... what happens? car rolls back a little bit...
Gear selector shifts slightly, jammed the safety lock at a funny angle that couldn't release.

Best practice is to stop car, foot on brake, put in park, HANDBRAKE, foot off brake, turn off.

You also avoid unnecessary damage to the gearbox with this technique... since the oil doesn't circulate once the ignition is off.
My mom had a '92 300SE and she ALWAYS let the car rock back on the parking brake once she turned off. After a few years, gear shifts became increasingly "jolty" because the selector sprocket was so worn by doing it. (We're talking 8 or 9 years)
Click to expand...

I never ever leave the car in park & allow the gearbox to keep the car stationary.
I will stop the car, while foot on the brake pedal shift to neutral & apply park brake (hand brake) and only then move gear select from neutral to park, then release foot brake.
I have had speed boats most of my life, so am pretty careful when it comes to using brakes and gears.

HOWEVER
in this instance (only now that you mentioned the above did i remember) i came home in an insane rush & as I stopped, indeed slammed the car into park. I now remember it bouncing back and forth as I was leaping out of it.
And it was parked on a downhill slope part of the driveway to make matters worse

So my bad cursing and swearing at the car - bad workman blaming the tools in this case
 
Last edited:
SauRoNZA said:
Next time read the manual.
Click to expand...

are you trying to be funny
i am afraid i am one of those people who will own something for 10 yrs & never look at the manual.
the item in question will be disintegrating, but the manual will still be in pristine / virgin condition :D
 
grantza said:
I never ever leave the car in park & allow the gearbox to keep the car stationary.
I will stop the car, while foot on the brake pedal shift to neutral & apply park brake (hand brake) and only then move gear select from neutral to park, then release foot brake.
I have had speed boats most of my life, so am pretty careful when it comes to using brakes and gears.

HOWEVER
in this instance (only now that you mentioned the above did i remember) i came home in an insane rush & as I stopped, indeed slammed the car into park. I now remember it bouncing back and forth as I was leaping out of it.
And it was parked on a downhill slope part of the driveway to make matters worse

So my bad cursing and swearing at the car - bad workman blaming the tools in this case
Click to expand...

We live and we learn...
I would never have internalized the advice myself if we had not had the issue with my mom's car.
 
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