# Car wont shift out of park **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** charger, dodge\ **Created:** [August 22, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-shift-out-of-park/35429 "2009-08-22T19:05:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![asemasko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@asemasko](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemasko)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-shift-out-of-park/35429/1 "2009-08-22T19:05:58Z")
my 2006 dodge charger will not shift out of park. The car starts fine but the auto stick will not move. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![budd2049](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@budd2049](https://community.cartalk.com/u/budd2049)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-shift-out-of-park/35429/2 "2009-08-22T19:14:49Z")
Are you parked on a severe incline without the parking brake being set? I’d guess not, but that is one potential cause. There’s a shift interlock that prevents the shifter from being moved when the brake pedal is not depressed. I figure you know that and have been doing that, so the problem could lay with that device. ---
**Author:** ![asemasko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@asemasko](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemasko)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-shift-out-of-park/35429/3 "2009-08-22T19:22:02Z")
Thank you for your help. I am not parked on a incline. I will look in to the interlock is there a way for me to do this? or do I need to take it in ---
**Author:** ![87\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/f14d63/32.png) [@87\_Ranger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/87_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-shift-out-of-park/35429/4 "2009-08-22T19:35:27Z")
Are your brake lights working? If not, fix that & the shifting problem will go away. First up is to look at the fuse list in your owners manual & go from there. The manual will also tell you how to override the shift lock. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-shift-out-of-park/35429/5 "2009-08-22T19:51:40Z")
If this car has the shift lever located on a center console, there should be an emergency release control. (Japanese cars have such a device, and I am assuming that American makes do too.) If there is a visible slot or opening in the console next to the shift lever (possibly covered or plugged by a piece of plastic), that should be the release. Normally, one removes the plastic cover, inserts either a screwdriver blade or a key into the release slot to operate the release. I would suggest that you consult your Owner’s Manual to determine: > If this car has a release mechanism such as I have described > Where exactly the release is located > What should be inserted in order to release the shift mechanism In other words, if everything else fails, read the instructions! ;-)) ---
**Author:** ![asemasko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@asemasko](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemasko)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-shift-out-of-park/35429/6 "2009-08-22T19:58:32Z")
Sorry should have said that I did all that and the emergency release control ( override is not working, also all fuses look fine. ---
**Author:** ![asemasko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@asemasko](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemasko)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-shift-out-of-park/35429/7 "2009-08-22T20:10:23Z")
Thank you did all that and still not working including the over ride ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-shift-out-of-park/35429/8 "2009-08-22T20:24:58Z")
Maybe if you remove the boot and look there might be a penny or something in the way. ---
**Author:** ![asemasko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@asemasko](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemasko)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-shift-out-of-park/35429/9 "2009-08-22T20:55:13Z")
Thank you. I Just checked and did not see any thing in the way. I am going to re check everything I still am looking for advice if anyone has ideas ---
**Author:** ![wizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wizard](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wizard)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-wont-shift-out-of-park/35429/10 "2009-08-22T21:54:49Z")
I have seen this on several cars of different brands. What has probably happened is that the lock mechanism has either broken, the switch on the brake pedal is not actuating of the solenoid is not pulling to release the locks. To get the vehicle out of park, you will have to access the shifter assembly inside of the car, find the lock mechanism and probably remove it, temporally of course until you can get it repaired properly. If the shifter is on the floor, the center console will have to be removed.