Inevitably, on a long enough timeline, any car will go seriously wrong. If a car really, properly breaks down, it helps to put it in neutral and get it out of the way. Sounds easy enough, but these days, it’s a little more difficult than it used to be if you have an electronic shifter.
You know how you have to put your foot on the brake before you can shift an automatic car out of park? Not only does this function prevent cars from rolling away while parked with a simple bump of the shifter, but a shift lock solenoid is also required by federal law. As per NHTSA:
Each motor vehicle manufactured on or after September 1, 2010 with a GVWR of 4,536 Kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less with an automatic transmission that includes a “park” position shall be equipped with a system that requires the service brake to be depressed before the transmission can be shifted out of “park”. This system shall function in any starting system key position in which the transmission can be shifted out of “park”. This section does not apply to trailers or motorcycles.
This shifter interlock function is well-intentioned and historically easy to work with. When a car dies on the side of the road or in a parking garage with no hope of hooking up a jump box for ignition power, overriding this safety function has usually been fairly easy, but circumvention of it for the purposes of moving a broken car has been complicated by electronic shifters.
In the past, automatic transmission gear selectors were connected by a cable, which was connected to the transmission. By simply popping an easily accessible release usually located near the shifter with your key, the shift lock solenoid would release, the gear selector would move and let a driver put a dead car in neutral so it could be pushed out of the way. However, electronic shifters are only connected to transmissions using wires, which means automakers have needed to get creative with emergency shifter lock releases.
The 2019 to 2023 Porsche Cayenne features one of the better examples. As Assistance Services Group highlights in a handy PDF, Porsche includes a special tool in the vehicle that can be inserted into a slot in the floor and then turned 90 degrees. It’s a touch more involved than pulling a tab near the shifter and pressing a button, but it’s easy enough.
On the old Jaguar XF, one of the first cars with a rotary-style shifter, you had to pry off an unlabeled access panel just ahead of the cup holders, twist a release, and then pull a red strap. The car would then go into neutral, and the crazy part is, that’s the easiest Jaguar Land Rover has ever made it with this shifter. Mid-2010s Range Rovers had the emergency release under the cup holder, and that just isn’t an intuitive place at all.
So far, we’ve covered electronic shifters with obfuscated emergency shift releases in an unintuitive way – but at least they didn’t require workshop tools. Enter the Lincoln Aviator, which makes you use a tool that isn’t included in the vehicle to put it in neutral in an emergency. Most tow truck drivers probably have a small flathead screwdriver on their rigs among other tools, but I bet most Aviator owners don’t.
Oh, but it gets worse. F82 BMW M4 and F80 BMW M3 owners who didn’t opt for the row-your-own option don’t have a shift lock override inside the cabin. Instead, you’ll need to jack the car up, crawl underneath, remove a Torx bolt from the side of the transmission, and cable-tie the gear selector shaft into the neutral position. Needless to say, this is absolutely insane, and enough to cause some head scratching for those who work on vehicles for a living.
Those who drive cars with manual gearboxes are likely feeling a bit smug right now, but here’s the thing: Occasionally, people require rental cars, and things can still go wrong on rental cars with fancy electronic shifters. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to easily put a dead car into neutral and push it, but automakers seem intent on making things more difficult than they need to be.
(Photo credits: BMW, Assistance Services Group, Reddit)
Support our mission of championing car culture by becoming an Official Autopian Member.
-
The Mercedes-AMG SL Appears To Have A Standard Head-Bonking Function
-
Your Car Might Have A Secret Way To Manually Close A Broken Sunroof
-
Volkswagen Used To Have The Best Sunroof Switch And Now I’m Sad It’s Gone
-
The Genius Way BMW Solved Frozen Door Locks
-
Here’s Why Busted Plastic Grille Flaps On A Newer Car Can Cause A Check Engine Light
Got a hot tip? Send it to us here. Or check out the stories on our homepage.
It’s hard enough when the car is *running* to get some of them into neutral. With these electronic shifters now, you have to tap them *just right* to get it into neutral. I’ve fought with a few cars at the car wash, going from Drive to Reverse, trying to get the damn thing into neutral.
Coming to a BMW subscription near you. You can now shift back into neutral
Coming to a BMW subscription near you. You can now shift back into neutral
I remember my ’02 BMW had the slot, but the intent was to jam the physical key/fob into the slot to release the shifter. In light of some of the other ones that sounds downright simple.
I remember my ’02 BMW had the slot, but the intent was to jam the physical key/fob into the slot to release the shifter. In light of some of the other ones that sounds downright simple.
Look folks, there is ONE advantage in having an Electronic Shifter and that is that it makes the vehicle more difficult to steal! You just can’t manhandle the gear shifter into neutral like you can with a mechanical shifter and roll the car away.
That just means they are going to trash your car even more trying to steal it.
They will just bring a tow truck. Buddy I went to college with had his Honda pilot stolen out of his driveway and they came with a flatbed while he was sleeping.
Yes that is a possibility.
But let’s digest your buddies story.
Was it stolen or repo’d? Why would someone with access to a tow truck waste their time stealing a ~$20k-$40K Pilot when they could steal any number of other more valuable cars? Sounds like a repo to me. 😉
Most sure it was stolen unless he was lying but doubt it as he was an older married gentlemen that was going to school to be an engineer while he was working as a manager at a bakery. More common cars like that are much better to steal then something more valuable much as it is easier to sell parts for a common car like a pilot that will share parts with something like a ridgeline vs stealing something that sells is lower volumes at a higher price as it will be much harder to find buyers for those parts. He also lived near Chicago which is going to have a lot of shady chop shops around there.
You’re most likely right. Good thing I don’t steal cars. I would steal the wrong ones and get caught. 🙂
Look folks, there is ONE advantage in having an Electronic Shifter and that is that it makes the vehicle more difficult to steal! You just can’t manhandle the gear shifter into neutral like you can with a mechanical shifter and roll the car away.
That just means they are going to trash your car even more trying to steal it.
They will just bring a tow truck. Buddy I went to college with had his Honda pilot stolen out of his driveway and they came with a flatbed while he was sleeping.
Yes that is a possibility.
But let’s digest your buddies story.
Was it stolen or repo’d? Why would someone with access to a tow truck waste their time stealing a ~$20k-$40K Pilot when they could steal any number of other more valuable cars? Sounds like a repo to me. 😉
Most sure it was stolen unless he was lying but doubt it as he was an older married gentlemen that was going to school to be an engineer while he was working as a manager at a bakery. More common cars like that are much better to steal then something more valuable much as it is easier to sell parts for a common car like a pilot that will share parts with something like a ridgeline vs stealing something that sells is lower volumes at a higher price as it will be much harder to find buyers for those parts. He also lived near Chicago which is going to have a lot of shady chop shops around there.
You’re most likely right. Good thing I don’t steal cars. I would steal the wrong ones and get caught. 🙂
it may have already been said, but Volvo OTR tractors have to have the driveshaft disconnected from the transmission to get towed. SMH.
I used to drive a bus that also required the drive shaft to be removed for towing. Found that out the hard way.
A lot of heavy trucks need the drive shaft disconnected because even the manual transmissions have oil pumps
it may have already been said, but Volvo OTR tractors have to have the driveshaft disconnected from the transmission to get towed. SMH.
I used to drive a bus that also required the drive shaft to be removed for towing. Found that out the hard way.
A lot of heavy trucks need the drive shaft disconnected because even the manual transmissions have oil pumps
the electronic E-Brake is also a bit of an issue if the car is completely dead as well.
the electronic E-Brake is also a bit of an issue if the car is completely dead as well.
That BMW video had me saying no F’in way the entire time. Zip Ties? WTF?!?!
Thanks for pointing this out, because I hadn’t thought of this possibility on my eGolf, so I found the video, and it is far easier than the ones highlighted.
That BMW video had me saying no F’in way the entire time. Zip Ties? WTF?!?!
Thanks for pointing this out, because I hadn’t thought of this possibility on my eGolf, so I found the video, and it is far easier than the ones highlighted.
Thomas: “Make me a gear shifter with a padlock on it.”
Peter: “…Where? If it’s around the shifter, it doesn’t impede shifting.”
Thomas: “I don’t care, fine, then just put it through the handle.”
Peter: “But that still doesn’t…”
Matt: “Hurry up, we haven’t posted this hour!”
Peter: [grumbles, defies physics and reason]
Thomas: “And make sure there’s a BMW!”
Thomas: “Make me a gear shifter with a padlock on it.”
Peter: “…Where? If it’s around the shifter, it doesn’t impede shifting.”
Thomas: “I don’t care, fine, then just put it through the handle.”
Peter: “But that still doesn’t…”
Matt: “Hurry up, we haven’t posted this hour!”
Peter: [grumbles, defies physics and reason]
Thomas: “And make sure there’s a BMW!”
My 40+ year-old mower, a Woods zero-turn, has a hydraulic transmission; two of them, actually. To allow them to free-wheel, you have you pop the hood, er, actually the seat, and move two small levers.
My old Countax had something similar. A handle right up inside the rear wheel arch. I think I finally discovered how to use it the week we sold it to a breakers.
A lot of hydrostatic drives have a similar setup. IIRC to tow a Bobcat loader you insert two pins in the gearbox to disengage drive. These are supposed to be stored on the machine under the seat which is only slightly inconvenient.
My 40+ year-old mower, a Woods zero-turn, has a hydraulic transmission; two of them, actually. To allow them to free-wheel, you have you pop the hood, er, actually the seat, and move two small levers.
My old Countax had something similar. A handle right up inside the rear wheel arch. I think I finally discovered how to use it the week we sold it to a breakers.
A lot of hydrostatic drives have a similar setup. IIRC to tow a Bobcat loader you insert two pins in the gearbox to disengage drive. These are supposed to be stored on the machine under the seat which is only slightly inconvenient.
So are towing companies for high-end cars now sporting F1 style cranes that can lift an entire vehicle off the ground to place it on the flatbed?
Or is this why some of the those high-end car companies now have mobile service, to send a tech with tools and a zip tie to you?
I witnessed a flatbed chain up a car and drag it against it’s will along the pavement and onto the flatbed. Damage to car be damned.
Similarly: I’ve also witnessed the same being done to a motorcycle that had crashed. From my vantage point: it looked perfectly suitable to being pushed onto the flatbed – but, no, they’d rather drag it along its side down the pavement and onto the flatbed causing untold damage to the side of it (cheese grater style).
So are towing companies for high-end cars now sporting F1 style cranes that can lift an entire vehicle off the ground to place it on the flatbed?
Or is this why some of the those high-end car companies now have mobile service, to send a tech with tools and a zip tie to you?
I witnessed a flatbed chain up a car and drag it against it’s will along the pavement and onto the flatbed. Damage to car be damned.
Similarly: I’ve also witnessed the same being done to a motorcycle that had crashed. From my vantage point: it looked perfectly suitable to being pushed onto the flatbed – but, no, they’d rather drag it along its side down the pavement and onto the flatbed causing untold damage to the side of it (cheese grater style).
This is a bit beside the point, but a 2010MY vehicle could have been built without a shift interlock???
I would have thought that was required much earlier.
Right? I can recall when they became widespread…in the ’90s.
My 1969 chevy Malibu convertible with a Muncie M22 stick shift had this insane linkage between the shifter and the steering column so that you could only take the key out of the ignition if the shift was in, I believe, reverse. So you get a stick shift with all the crazy linkage of column shift just for the ignition interlock. By the time I have the car, it was so worn out and sloppy that it also enabled you to shift it into two gears at the same time which was extra extra fun.
Same. I’ve driven many 90s/early 2000s cars and I don’t remember any of them letting me out of park without the brake pedal depressed. Though, I have always done it from habit, so I guess I wouldn’t really know anyway. I’m curious what cars didn’t have this interlock between 2000 and 2010. Certainly helps explain the news stories about dogs putting cars parked cars in gear and rolling into things.
Once started up and running, my 1999 Durango could be pulled into gear without the brake being pressed. I remember being surprised that no brake press was needed.
My 2022 RAM however will not let me drive in reverse with my door open and automatically throws itself in park. So strange.
I wonder if that was broken? My 1998 Jeep XJ and 1997 Jeep ZJ both need the brake applied to shift into gear, but the mechanism is broken in the XJ so it will shift without the key or brake.
I know the Durango shared a lot with the ZJ, so I’d imagine it would have a similar system.
I got it in 2002 with low miles so I doubt it was broke, but maybe it was. It was a great truck overall – aside from gas mileage (about 11-13mpg) but sounded great burning it up.
Apparently, it was mandated for September 1, 2010. I had no idea it was that recent.
This is a bit beside the point, but a 2010MY vehicle could have been built without a shift interlock???
I would have thought that was required much earlier.
Right? I can recall when they became widespread…in the ’90s.
My 1969 chevy Malibu convertible with a Muncie M22 stick shift had this insane linkage between the shifter and the steering column so that you could only take the key out of the ignition if the shift was in, I believe, reverse. So you get a stick shift with all the crazy linkage of column shift just for the ignition interlock. By the time I have the car, it was so worn out and sloppy that it also enabled you to shift it into two gears at the same time which was extra extra fun.
Same. I’ve driven many 90s/early 2000s cars and I don’t remember any of them letting me out of park without the brake pedal depressed. Though, I have always done it from habit, so I guess I wouldn’t really know anyway. I’m curious what cars didn’t have this interlock between 2000 and 2010. Certainly helps explain the news stories about dogs putting cars parked cars in gear and rolling into things.
Once started up and running, my 1999 Durango could be pulled into gear without the brake being pressed. I remember being surprised that no brake press was needed.
My 2022 RAM however will not let me drive in reverse with my door open and automatically throws itself in park. So strange.
I wonder if that was broken? My 1998 Jeep XJ and 1997 Jeep ZJ both need the brake applied to shift into gear, but the mechanism is broken in the XJ so it will shift without the key or brake.
I know the Durango shared a lot with the ZJ, so I’d imagine it would have a similar system.
I got it in 2002 with low miles so I doubt it was broke, but maybe it was. It was a great truck overall – aside from gas mileage (about 11-13mpg) but sounded great burning it up.
Apparently, it was mandated for September 1, 2010. I had no idea it was that recent.
I wonder if in a few years there will be an update to this topic, where in some new vehicle the process is “remove axle shafts”
On the plus side, this reminded me of one of our techs who apparently enjoyed as a prank crawling under vehicles to put them in neutral and roll them to a different parking spot
We used to take friend’s pickups in high school, lift the rear tires off the ground and roll them to a different corner of the lot. Took like 4 of us to do a dakota or s10
We had a lot of Dodge Omnis at my high school. We’d regularly fuck with a couple of my buddies by picking up their Omnis and rolling them to different parking spots.. or onto the tennis court.
This reminds me of my favorite part of my 03 Z4 owners manual.
Changing the headlights, step one: raise the vehicle and remove the front wheels.
For my ‘74.5 MGB the first two steps in the shop manual for replacing the windshield were to disconnect the battery and drain the coolant. No, there was no electricity or coolant running to, or even near, the windshield. Yes, these were nonetheless necessary steps.
That’s nothing. You want to jack up an S1 Lotus Elise? The rear jacking points are on the rear subframe, the subframe is above the aero floor panel.
So step one for jacking up the car is to remove the diffuser panel and then the floor, both of which bolt on from under the car.
I wonder if in a few years there will be an update to this topic, where in some new vehicle the process is “remove axle shafts”
On the plus side, this reminded me of one of our techs who apparently enjoyed as a prank crawling under vehicles to put them in neutral and roll them to a different parking spot
We used to take friend’s pickups in high school, lift the rear tires off the ground and roll them to a different corner of the lot. Took like 4 of us to do a dakota or s10
We had a lot of Dodge Omnis at my high school. We’d regularly fuck with a couple of my buddies by picking up their Omnis and rolling them to different parking spots.. or onto the tennis court.
This reminds me of my favorite part of my 03 Z4 owners manual.
Changing the headlights, step one: raise the vehicle and remove the front wheels.
For my ‘74.5 MGB the first two steps in the shop manual for replacing the windshield were to disconnect the battery and drain the coolant. No, there was no electricity or coolant running to, or even near, the windshield. Yes, these were nonetheless necessary steps.
That’s nothing. You want to jack up an S1 Lotus Elise? The rear jacking points are on the rear subframe, the subframe is above the aero floor panel.
So step one for jacking up the car is to remove the diffuser panel and then the floor, both of which bolt on from under the car.
Electronic shifters are stupid and an answer to a question that literally no one asked
Yup only makes sense for EVs
Funnily enough my (sorta) EV has a cable shift. I had assumed it was electronic, but when I popped the hood I saw a cable going straight to the gearbox/motor housing (2017 Volt)
Oh come on. Some CEO somewhere asked “how can I save 12 cents per car?” and this was the completely obvious answer!
I don’t really know much about auto boxes, because I’ve never had a car with one, but aren’t electronic shifters necessary for all the fancy stuff like the up/down semi-manual shifting thing BMWs have on one side of the PRNDL?
It takes up a hell of a lot less space on my dashboard than an enormous column shifter, or the garbage can/tissue box space of a PRNDL dash or floor/armrest shifter.
Electronic shifters are stupid and an answer to a question that literally no one asked
Yup only makes sense for EVs
Funnily enough my (sorta) EV has a cable shift. I had assumed it was electronic, but when I popped the hood I saw a cable going straight to the gearbox/motor housing (2017 Volt)
Oh come on. Some CEO somewhere asked “how can I save 12 cents per car?” and this was the completely obvious answer!
I don’t really know much about auto boxes, because I’ve never had a car with one, but aren’t electronic shifters necessary for all the fancy stuff like the up/down semi-manual shifting thing BMWs have on one side of the PRNDL?
It takes up a hell of a lot less space on my dashboard than an enormous column shifter, or the garbage can/tissue box space of a PRNDL dash or floor/armrest shifter.