Car Stuck in Park? How to Get an Automatic Into Neutral

In short: try a jump start first. With power, almost every automatic goes into N normally. Without power, you need a mechanical override: on many cars a small slot next to the gear selector, on Jaguar and Land Rover a lever in the centre console or engine bay. Cars with a purely electronic selector or a robotised gearbox have no mechanical override, so the car is loaded onto skates (dollies) instead.

Safety first

As soon as the park lock is released, the car can roll, even on ground that looks flat. Before using any override:

• Chock the wheels front and back.
• Apply the parking brake if it still works, or have someone hold the brake pedal.
• Nobody stands in front of or behind the car while it is released.
• Use the override only to load or reposition the car, not to tow it along the road.
• Reset it afterwards, so Park works again.

Why the selector is stuck in P

In Park, a pawl inside the gearbox locks the driven wheels. To stop anyone knocking it out of Park by accident, the selector only releases when the ignition is on and the brake pedal sends an electrical signal. This is the shift lock. With a flat battery there's no signal, so the lever stays in P. Many newer cars with a rotary dial, push buttons, a small toggle or a column stalk have no mechanical link to the gearbox at all.

Step 1: try power first

The easiest override is a charged battery. Jump start the car with leads or a booster pack, switch the ignition on, press the brake and select N. On many cars N only holds while the ignition stays on. See flat battery: jump start or recovery?

The four types of override

1. Shift lock release slot next to the selector

On many cars with a traditional lever there's a small cover next to or below the selector, often marked "Shift Lock".

1. Chock the wheels and hold the brake.
2. Prise off the small cover with the key blade or a thin flat screwdriver.
3. Push the key or screwdriver down into the slot.
4. Keep pressing, press the brake pedal and move the selector to N.
5. Refit the cover once the car is loaded.

2. Release lever or cable (Jaguar, Land Rover)

Jaguar and Land Rover use a separate release lever. Depending on the model it's under a trim panel in the centre console, under the cupholder, or in the engine bay. Usually you turn a lock through 90 degrees and pull the lever up until it latches. Details are in the table below.

3. Electronic selector with no mechanical link

Toggles, rotary dials, buttons and column stalks only talk to the gearbox electronically. Without power there's no override a driver can use, so it's a jump start or skates.

4. Robotised (automated manual) gearboxes

A robotised gearbox is a manual gearbox with motors doing the clutch and gear changes. With no power it often stays in the last gear selected. Examples: Fiat Dualogic and Comfort-Matic, older Smart, Citroën and Peugeot ETG or EGS, Renault Quickshift. N is only possible with power, otherwise skates.

Neutral override by make: cars

Make and model	How to get it into N
Jaguar XF all-wheel drive	Cable in the engine bay, left side of the engine, under the engine cover. Fit the release tool from the boot floor, turn the lock 90° anticlockwise, pull the lever up until it latches.
Jaguar XF rear-wheel drive, F-Type, XJ	Lever in the centre console under a trim panel in the cubby box, or between the cupholder and armrest. Turn the lock 90°, pull the lever up until it latches.
Land Rover Discovery Sport	Lever in the engine bay under the air filter box. Remove the air filter, turn the lever anticlockwise to the forward position and lock it with a 5 mm pin (Allen key or drill bit).
Range Rover Evoque, Velar	In our drivers' experience, also in the engine bay under the cover, similar to the Discovery Sport. Check the handbook for the exact spot.
Range Rover, Range Rover Sport (about 2013–2022)	According to our drivers, in one of two places depending on the model: under the cupholder in the centre console (remove the cupholder base, turn the lock 90°, pull the lever up until it latches), or in the engine bay under the air filter. Check the cupholder first.
Other Land Rover and Range Rover models	Often a lever in the engine bay under the air filter box. Exact location in the handbook, "vehicle recovery" section.
Volvo with a traditional lever (e.g. V40, V70)	Key-blade slot in the centre console compartment, under the rubber mat or tray insert. Dual-clutch models: transport on a flatbed only.
Tesla	Tow Mode on the touchscreen, needs 12 V power. No power: skates. See Tesla tow mode.
Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Subaru with a traditional lever	Small "Shift Lock" cover next to the selector: prise it off, press down in the slot with the key or a flat screwdriver, hold the brake, move to N.
Kia, Hyundai	Same principle with a traditional lever. See Kia and Hyundai shift lock release.
VW, Audi, Škoda, SEAT, Cupra with a traditional lever	On many DSG models, a yellow release lever under the selector trim or gaiter. Models with a small toggle, such as the Golf 8 or the ID range: power only.
Mercedes-Benz	Older models with a console lever often have a release at the selector. DIRECT SELECT on the steering column: no mechanical override, power only, otherwise skates. Mercedes recommends transport rather than towing.
BMW, Mini	Older models with a mechanical lever: cover at the base of the selector with a release slot underneath. Newer models with the 8-speed automatic (from about 2010): mechanical release on the gearbox underneath. Lift the car, remove the undertray and turn the release screw with an Allen key. A job for the recovery operator or garage.
Ford, Vauxhall	Older models with a lever: cover at the selector with a release underneath. Rotary dial: power only.
Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Vauxhall with a toggle (EAT8)	Fully electronic, no mechanical override. Without power the wheels stay locked in P: jump start, otherwise skates.
Renault, Dacia	With a lever: usually a release under the gaiter or trim. Electronic selector: power only.
Fiat, Smart, Citroën, Peugeot with a robotised gearbox	Often stay in gear without power. Jump start, otherwise skates.
Electric cars (e.g. MG, BYD, Polestar, Hyundai Ioniq, Kia EV, VW ID)	Usually a tow or transport mode on the screen that needs 12 V power. No power: skates.

Models and years vary a lot. If you're not sure, check the handbook under towing, recovery or breakdown, or call us.

Vans

Most vans have a manual gearbox, so neutral is no problem. For automatics and robotised gearboxes:

Van	How to get it into N
Mercedes Sprinter automatic (about 2009–2015)	Prise out the round cover just below the selector knob with a screwdriver, push the key into the opening and move the selector to N.
Mercedes Sprinter from 2018, Vito, V-Class	Selector on the steering column, electronic: power only, otherwise skates.
VW Transporter T5, T6 with DSG	Yellow release lever under the selector trim.
Iveco Daily automatic (Hi-Matic)	Release in the floor to the right of the seat. Lift off the cover by hand and pull the lever back.
Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer, Citroën Relay with Comfort-Matic	Robotised gearbox: often stays in gear without power. Jump start, otherwise skates.
Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer, Citroën Relay with the 9-speed automatic	Electronic selector: power only.
Renault Master, Trafic with Quickshift	Robotised gearbox: power only, otherwise skates.
Ford Transit, VW Crafter, MAN TGE, Renault Master, Vauxhall Movano automatic	Varies by year; newer ones are mostly electronic. Check the handbook, otherwise skates.

Heavier vans and loads: see van recovery.

Electric parking brake: can it be released?

An electric parking brake also needs power to release. Some early systems had a mechanical emergency release, for example in the centre console or the boot. Newer cars have no release a driver can use, so the car goes on skates. Garages can open the brake with a diagnostic tool or directly at the motor, but that isn't a roadside job.

When nothing moves: skates and lifting

If the car won't go into N and the parking brake won't release, we use skates (dollies). They slide under the locked wheels so the car rolls even though the wheels don't turn. In tight spots like underground car parks, or after an accident, we lift the car instead. For some BMW and Mercedes models there's also a freewheel tool that bolts to the wheel hub and lets the car roll at walking pace with the gearbox locked. Never drag a car on locked wheels, it damages tyres, gearbox and drivetrain.

Tips from our recovery drivers

• The override is often missing from the handbook or very well hidden. On Jaguar and Land Rover, look under "vehicle recovery".
• People look for the Jaguar release in the centre console, but on all-wheel-drive models it's in the engine bay.
• On a Range Rover Sport hardly anyone spots the lever under the cupholder. Take the rubber base out first. If it isn't there, it's in the engine bay under the air filter.
• If nothing works, skates are faster and kinder to the car than forcing anything.