# Starting at Neutral

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-at-neutral/1957>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** starting\
**Created:** [July 19, 2007, 9:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-at-neutral/1957 "2007-07-19T21:36:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cynchp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cynchp](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cynchp)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 9:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-at-neutral/1957/1 "2007-07-19T21:36:51Z")

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I have 1994 Nissan Sentra (automatic). Last Monday it decided not to start in the park position. The battery was not dead. I had a good a mount of gas in my tank. Then a friend of mine tried starting it in Neutral and it started. Ever since then I can only start the car in Neutral. What could be my problem? I’m guessing it is the neutral safety switch. Can I just keep starting my car in Neutral or do I really have to bring it in for repair? I’m only a student so I prefer not to spend a lot for repairs if I can just bypass the Park gear to start my “old, cheap” car.  
  
  
  
 Thanks!

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**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2007, 9:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-at-neutral/1957/2 "2007-07-19T21:46:39Z")

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No problem. You are probably correct about a bad neutral safety switch although it could also be a misadjusted linkage. But you can continue to drive as-is.

In fact, if you locate the switch you can ground its wire and be able to start your car in any gear. (This is not recommended but it is indeed a possibility.)