Do you own a car and have you ever encountered the annoying “shift to park” display on your instrument panel? It’s not just you. How to turn off shift to park message? We have seen this question so many times during our work. We’ll talk about how to address your shift to park issue today.
Can’t turn off shift to park message is a hazardous flaw. The car might be positively parked, but the driver has no way of knowing if it won’t roll forward at any moment. You might be late for your appointment if you can’t switch off your car.
We’ll get into the specifics of how to disable the shift to park notice in this article and outline what you need to know to safeguard your legal rights. To learn more, continue reading.
Why Does Your Car Display Shift To Park Message?
Many customers have had the unfortunate experience of having their cars refuse to shift into park for a while now. The biggest issue with people being unable to put their cars in park is that they cannot turn them off, which might potentially drain the battery.
Because of the shifting issue, customers have been unable to depart, lock, and turn off their automobiles. The real problem here is not so much that the car can’t physically shift into park as it is that it can’t recognize the shift.
Due to a problem with the transmission shift cable adjuster, some vehicles may indicate on the instrument panel that they need to “shift to park.” This might prevent the transmission from being in the gear that the gear shift lever indicates.
The car may, for instance, appear to be in “park” when the transmission is actually in “neutral” or another gear. Due to this, there is a higher chance of a collision and the automobile may roll over abruptly.
The “shift to park” message serves as a warning to the driver that there may be a transmission issue and that the vehicle may not be in the gear that is indicated.
What Does “Shift to Park” Message Meaning?
The vehicle is alerting you that the park position has not been applied. It is a security precaution. Before you can take the key out of the ignition, the transmission must be in P (Park). Without pressing P (Park), you risk getting into problems if you remove the key or keyfob from the cabin. The car might roll away or otherwise cause issues.
As a result, if you try to take the key from the ignition, the automobile warns you about it. The car’s keyfob undergoes the same process. Some models won’t let you remove the key unless “Park” is activated. The message “Transmission Not in Park” could also read “Shift to Park”.
The driver will typically see a “Shift to Park” warning on the driver information center when this failure happens, even if the gear selector is moved to park and the ignition is turned off.
The driver then has two options: either start the car again and try to shut it off again, or shift gears enough that the electrical system of the car notices the shift. While occasionally effective, this tactic doesn’t always work, leaving drivers with a car that won’t shift into park.
How To Turn Off Shift To Park Message?
Occasionally, shifting the transmission a few times while jiggling the shifter lever will help. This is merely a short-term fix, though.
The extra foreign matter on the electrical connections needs to be cleaned up in order to cure the “shift to park” problem permanently. You can add a harness jumper in line with the wiring for the shifter to stop this from happening again in the future. The console harness connector and the shifter base connector are connected via the jumper.
If it doesn’t fix the issue, you could have to get a new shifter control. We’ll walk you through each stage of the repair process.
Clean The Contacts On The Park Switch
Place the parking brake on and turn off the engine. Remove the shifter knob and boot assembly by disassembling them. Avoid scratching the interior of the car.
Depress the actuation rod all the way before releasing it with your thumb or a trim stick. Allow it to return to its fully up position. For the internal contacts to be completely cleaned, repeat this process around 50 times. It is not possible to easily access the electrical connections. As a result, you must clean them in this way.
To complete the repair, the park switch must be cleaned. This step must not be skipped or shortened. Start the car and see if the warning notice is still displayed. Install the harness jumper nonetheless if it doesn’t.
Install The Wiring Harness Jumper
Remove the front floor console trim plate after cleaning the electrical contacts. Typically, the front trim plate needs to be removed in order to reach the shift control wiring connector. The console assembly may need to be repositioned in some variants.
On the Shift Control assembly, connect the In-line Shifter Harness Jumper. Then, join its opposite end to the body harness. Make that the jumper is not twisted or bent past a 90-degree angle. If not, it will deteriorate more quickly.
Once the car is moving, be sure the “shift to park” sign has vanished from the instrument display. Carefully reassemble all the broken pieces, including the shifter knob. To prevent your car from suffering cosmetic or other harm, use the proper replacement techniques.
Transmission Control Module (TCM) Replacement
After cleaning, if the “shift to park” pop-up message still appears, more work is required. The TCM will need to be changed. A flat head screwdriver or a set of pry bars are the instruments that are used. Both are effective. For this technique, you’ll also need a light source, a 10mm ratchet wrench, and a small metal hook.
Additionally, if your automobile is still covered by the warranty, you can take it to the dealership to see if they can fix it at no additional charge.
That isn’t always doable, though. Discuss your car’s problem with the dealers. Even if the repairs are not covered by the guarantee, paying for them yourself is still advised to stop any further problems.
Why Should You Fix It ASAP?
Some individuals choose to disregard gear shifter issues because they feel that they are not particularly significant. Although you may be at risk, especially if you travel large miles every day, you should bear in mind that you should speak with your dealership as soon as you can.
You cannot turn off the ignition when the shift to park message shows. Unfortunately, doing that can cause your battery to fully discharge. Let’s say that when you get in your car, it seems to be hard to start and you see that the battery light is blinking on the panel.
People who experience that need to wait for assistance to recharge or replace their battery, which may take up valuable time that you could be using elsewhere. It may be worse if it takes place during the workday. All things considered, you might be able to prevent it, particularly if your vehicle is still covered by warranty and you can get in touch with a mechanic to get the problem fixed.
Final Thoughts
Now you know how to turn off shift to park message on your car. You won’t be prevented from operating the car by the shifter issue, but you’ll probably be prevented from turning off the engine. So, don’t put off the repair. You never know when you might find yourself stuck inside the car with no safe means to lock it, turn it off, or get out. The necessary tools are easily accessible to complete the repair. Any car shop will have a harness jumper available. Ensure that the part you purchase is suitable by using the part number shown in the service bulletin above. If you feel it is necessary, you can talk to a mechanic.