You anticipate turning the key and beginning to drive as soon as you get inside your car. Therefore, what should you do if the Trailblazer wont shift out of park? Despite the fact that this condition may seem concerning, it isn’t usually a sign of a serious problem.
The shifter simply won’t move, even though the engine is functioning perfectly. You can attempt a number of methods to get your Chevy Trailblazer moving right away. These include identifying the shift lock solenoid override, making sure the parking brake isn’t jammed, and the shift linkage.
We’ll start with issues that can be resolved quickly and easily. With the goal that you can quickly move out of Park with your Trailblazer, we’ll then move on to the less likely issues.
We go into the causes behind the car’s refusal to go out of Park in this post. We also demonstrate what you should do if you find yourself in this predicament.
What Is Trailblazer Wont Shift Out Of Park ?
It may be helpful to understand how the system functions before we discuss the reasons why you can’t shift out of park so that the issue can be resolved more quickly.
In essence, the parking pawl holds the output shaft to keep the automobile from rolling. The parking pawl is incredibly strong and can often resist the forces applied to the car.
The parking pawl must be able to bear even more energy if the automobile is parked on an incline or drop since it is much harder to support. This alone may be the reason you are unable to shift out of park, but more on that later in the post.
You may be aware that an automatic transmission is a highly complex piece of equipment with numerous moving parts. Other mechanical or even electrical issues could be to blame for a shift out of park issue.
Why Trailblazer Wont Shift Out Of Park?
Because of the high strain from the steep hill on the transmission, your Trailblazer might not be able to shift out of Park. It can also be brought on by a brake switch failure or a shifter interlock problem, both of which are simply fixable.
Failure of the Shifter Interlock
A shifter interlock system is standard equipment in all contemporary automobiles. This feature prevents the car from inadvertently shifting into Drive or Reverse when it isn’t necessary.
Engineers often install a shifter interlock device in every car to prevent a vehicle from being mistakenly moved into drive or reverse. This interlock prevents a shifter from being pushed out of park until you depress the brake pedal.
Interlock systems do, however, occasionally malfunction while they are active. Most manufacturers provide their cars with a shift lock release to avoid drivers from being stuck in such situations. By using this release, a motorist is able to disable the shifter interlock on their car.
By simply flipping the key to the accessory position and putting the shifter in the neutral position, you can circumvent the shifter interlock on some automobiles and start the car.
The manual shift lock override, which is generally activated by inserting a key or small flathead screwdriver, can be accessed, though, if that doesn’t work.
Each car has a unique position for this manual override, however for further information, check your owner’s handbook. It is a good idea to become familiar with these procedures now rather than having to look them up later on when you are dealing with a park-related issue.
Brake Switch Malfunction
The brake pedal must be operational in order for the shifter interlock to function as intended. The device can release the shifter by detecting when the brake pedal is depressed through the brake switch.
The interlock feature, however, can stop functioning if the switch malfunctions. It will carry on functioning as though you have not depressed the brake pedal.
You can ask a friend to keep an eye on the brake lights when you press the pedal in order to identify the broken brake switch. Although you will need a multimeter for a comprehensive diagnostic, it’s conceivable that the switch is broken if the lights don’t turn on.
Fortunately, changing the brake switch is an easy task. To finish the task, you won’t need extensive experience.
Faulty Shift Links
Your Trailblazer’s shift linkage will often offer a lifetime of solid service. But they are not infallible.
The shift linkage may be defective if you are certain that the gear shifter is not stuck in park. Either something bent it, or it’s beginning to loosen. The geometry won’t be correct if it’s come loose, and your Trailblazer could remain in park as a result.
Pawl Pressure Caused by Inclines
As a parking pawl wedges into its matching parking gear when parking on a steep incline, a transmission’s parking pawl may experience extreme pressure.
The parking pawl and parking equipment are sustaining the full weight of the vehicle in these conditions. Drivers are frequently left stranded in the process since it is difficult to shift out of park as a result.
In this situation, it is necessary to release the pressure before shifting into any driving gear. This frequently calls for the assistance of a second person, who can rock the vehicle back and forth to generate enough movement to enable effective disengagement.
On steep inclines, however, this procedure can call for the employment of a backup towing vehicle.
Setting your parking brake before putting your car in park is essential while attempting to stop on an uphill in order to avoid such an incident. In contrast to the parking pawl and parking gear, all of the weight is now supported by the parking brake components.
Parking a Vehicle Uphill or Downhill
The parking pawl will be more resilient if you park on an incline or drop. As reason would dictate, the force acting on the pawl increases with increasing inclination.
Pressing the brake pedal hard while attempting to disengage “park” might occasionally cure this problem. The parking pawl can also be released using the parking brake.
We do not advise pushing the vehicle, even if it may help the parking pawl. It may succeed. However, you run the danger of harming the gearbox, and in the worst event, the car can jolt into “neutral,” which could hurt whoever is pushing it.
Read more: Why Is My Chevy Trailblazer Making Whistling Noise?
What Should You Do When Your Trailblazer Wont Shift Out Of Park?
You can find yourself in a car that won’t shift out of park for a few different reasons. There are some broad actions you can take, though, to determine if they’ll be helpful in your circumstance. Here is a simple set of instructions that should enable you to release the parking brake in a number of circumstances.
- Put the parking brake on.
- Don’t start your engine after turning your ignition to the on position.
- On the shifter console, remove the plastic lid covering your shift lock override.
- the groove with a screwdriver or comparable tool while maintaining pressure
- Depress the brake pedal.
- Set your gear shift to reverse.
Final Thoughts
We discussed a few typical reasons why your Trailblazer wont shift out of park and how to fix it so you can resume driving. If you have any questions, please put them in the box below and they will be answered soon.