# Gear is stuck on Park for 2008 BMW 328xi / Water Leaks in **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** 3-series, bmw\ **Created:** [March 25, 2025, 2:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gear-is-stuck-on-park-for-2008-bmw-328xi-water-leaks-in/199604 "2025-03-25T02:11:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cool2day\_192980](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@cool2day\_192980](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cool2day_192980)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 2:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gear-is-stuck-on-park-for-2008-bmw-328xi-water-leaks-in/199604/1 "2025-03-25T02:11:00Z")
This old BMW’s gear is stuck on “Park.” 1. Battery: I though the culprit may be the old battery, but a tester (ANCEL BA101) says that the battery is fine. B/c the battery is drained (car has been parked and not driven in a while), I jump-started the car. The gear still will NOT shift out of “Park.” 2. Water: Another known major issue with the car is that the water has been getting inside. (The BMW computer is located under the front passenger seat.) The water that got in must have frozen, and a panel underside of the car popped and contacts / drags on the ground. On this point, you must think that I have been a terrible owner to have let things slide this bad. That’s fair. I had let my son in college use it in another state, and have not had the wherewithal to keep tabs on it. I would like to salvage this car if at all possible. When it worked, it was a great driving machine. My heart kind of sank to see the car in the current predicament just this past weekend. Feel free to give me suggestions, criticisms, tips, and etc… All are welcome. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 3:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gear-is-stuck-on-park-for-2008-bmw-328xi-water-leaks-in/199604/2 "2025-03-25T03:03:27Z")
Do what I recently did I donated a car to my local NPR-affiliated rafio station ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gear-is-stuck-on-park-for-2008-bmw-328xi-water-leaks-in/199604/3 "2025-03-25T03:23:30Z")
> [@cool2day\_192980](#): > > The gear still will NOT shift out of “Park.” There’s a shift-interlock system for safety purposes so that you can’t put it in gear without having the brakes on. Do the brake lights come on when you press the pedal? If not then there may be a problem with your brake light switch (down by the brake pedal). If so, then there’s likely a problem in that interlock system. There’s a little solenoid (electric motor) somewhere that’s supposed to move a blocking device out of the way so that you can shift. (I don’t know the specifics on this car). That solenoid can get bad, or not get electrical signal, and/or the works might just get so gummed up that it won’t move freely. Check your owner’s manual for an override. > [@cool2day\_192980](#): > > Water Windshield leak, or leaking heater core, or leaks around the fresh air intake, or elsewhere on the firewall. What do your web searches say about the “known major issue” and it’s typical causes? (Once again, sorry that I don’t know specifics for this make/model). ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 3:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gear-is-stuck-on-park-for-2008-bmw-328xi-water-leaks-in/199604/4 "2025-03-25T15:22:58Z")
Water got in and froze? On top of the floorboard. And you think the panel under the floorboard got pushed down and is dragging on ground because of this? Floorboard on ground? Pull up carpet. Can you see the ground? Well, a lot of money can fix/restore many things. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 4:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gear-is-stuck-on-park-for-2008-bmw-328xi-water-leaks-in/199604/5 "2025-03-25T16:06:45Z")
Try this to get it out of park then take it to a BMW or Euro shop for repairs… [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/9/e/9ea201149fca21ca2962764ed5814a25b0de4ad0.jpeg "How to get any BMW out of park without battery power. All auto gearboxes E60 to E90: BMTroubleU") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMk8ODij2oY) Cause anytime you can have a leaking mechatronics sleeve cause a bad connection and cause a shift lock not to work, well, you need someone above my paygrade… lol With all do respect, if you can’t afford to have a BMW repaired at a BMW or Euro shop, then you can’t afford to have a BMW… lol.. > **[Car won't shift out of park (E90 2008 328xi)](https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2352504-Car-won-t-shift-out-of-park-%28E90-2008-328xi%29)** > > Bimmerforums is the preferred online BMW Forum and community for BMW owners. At Bimmerforums, you will find technical how-to information maintenance specifics audio advice wheel and tire combinations and model specific details not found anywhere...