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Happened two times recently. 2008 C6 automatic. 4,000 miles. Car was parked on level ground both times (first time in the garage two weeks ago; second time on the street, next to the curb, yesterday). Foot on the break, engine started and running. I had to do a lot of “coaxing” to get the transmission out of Park. What’s wrong?? Jim
It could be the BTSI (brake-transmission safety interlock. It's a solenoid thing that actuates when you put your foot on the brake in park with the vehicle running. You should hear a clicking sound from under your shift boot with the car running, in park each time you apply the brake. If you don't hear the click it might be defectve. There is usually a manual override under the shift boot to get it in gear if you get stuck somewhere.
It could be a problem with the shift lock control solenoid, the RCDLR (remote control door lock receiver) or the brake pedal switch. Likely, the brake pedal switch just needs to be adjusted. I'd say a trip to the dealer for diagnosis may be in your future. They will be able to hook up the scan tool and view the ECM output from the brake pedal switch.
My local dealer had to replace the shifter on my 05 coupe because it would occasionally be difficult to get out of park, even when the car was on level ground.
There were a few discussions last fall of early '08 A6's where the mechanical linkage in the shifter locked up and stranded the owners. As I recall the service depts didn't find anything wrong but replaced the parts anyway.
How do I access the "manual override under the shift boot"? Easy? Hard?
I left an e-mail message with the dealer late last night. I hope he will get the car in this morning to check it out.
I am very glad to have all this input from the Forum so that hopefully I can communicate a little more intelligently with the Service Department.
Thanks to all. Jim
If you don't hear the clicking of the BTSI ("bitsee") you can manually release the pawl that locks the shifter in park by carefully raising the boot by releasing the clips that hold it in place. There are posts here that show how to raise the boot. Then, push on the button looking thing on the shifter that looks like it's part of an electrical sub assembly as you shift out of park. Once out of park you can shift through all the gears except park. If you go back in park it locks the shifter again by engaging a mechanical arm or pawl. If the bitsee is malfunctioning the dealer will have to replace the shifter as an assembly.
It could be a problem with the shift lock control solenoid, the RCDLR (remote control door lock receiver) or the brake pedal switch. Likely, the brake pedal switch just needs to be adjusted. I'd say a trip to the dealer for diagnosis may be in your future. They will be able to hook up the scan tool and view the ECM output from the brake pedal switch.
If you don't hear the clicking of the BTSI ("bitsee") you can manually release the pawl that locks the shifter in park by carefully raising the boot by releasing the clips that hold it in place. There are posts here that show how to raise the boot. Then, push on the button looking thing on the shifter that looks like it's part of an electrical sub assembly as you shift out of park. Once out of park you can shift through all the gears except park. If you go back in park it locks the shifter again by engaging a mechanical arm or pawl. If the bitsee is malfunctioning the dealer will have to replace the shifter as an assembly.
I feel bad about commenting on a 7 year old thread, but I want to add something that might be of value to the very helpful comment above... You don't actually need to lift the boot. You can release the park lock with your finger through the boot. See photos below. First photo is location of the lockout lever under the boot. Second shows where to press it without removing the boot to release the park lock pawl. I can't say if this is true for all A6's, but it works on a 2006.
Here's what it looks like with the boot off, showing the thing to push down.
Here's the place to push through the boot to release the shifter from park.
I feel bad about commenting on a 7 year old thread, but I want to add something that might be of value to the very helpful comment above... You don't actually need to lift the boot. You can release the park lock with your finger through the boot. See photos below. First photo is location of the lockout lever under the boot. Second shows where to press it without removing the boot to release the park lock pawl. I can't say if this is true for all A6's, but it works on a 2006.
Here's what it looks like with the boot off, showing the thing to push down.
Here's the place to push through the boot to release the shifter from park.
^^ Interesting. I have had the C6 2006 shifter boot off and tied back the locking pawl. This would be a blessing if it works when the shifter gets stuck.
You should start a new thread with this info. Many people may not look at this old thread.
Just experienced the same prob last wk. Couldn't get out of Park. Lot of info on forum on how to disable the Park lock pawl. HOWEVER, got the car to the dealer, code showed low volt., dealer did a battery test (batt. new in 2/2015). Installed new battery on Monday 8/17, problem seems to be resolved. Apparently, low voltage f's up some solenoid that releases pawl.
Worth checking your battery. Lemme know your experience.
Just experienced the same prob last wk. Couldn't get out of Park. Lot of info on forum on how to disable the Park lock pawl. HOWEVER, got the car to the dealer, code showed low volt., dealer did a battery test (batt. new in 2/2015). Installed new battery on Monday 8/17, problem seems to be resolved. Apparently, low voltage f's up some solenoid that releases pawl.
Worth checking your battery. Lemme know your experience.
I only used this little trick when there was NO electrical power or the fob was dead. There are a lot of other ways the lockout mechanism or linkage could be stuck.
Default Manually releasing C6 auto trans from parkNU You don't actually need to lift the boot. You can release the park lock with your finger through the boot. See photos below. First photo is location of the lockout lever under the boot. Second shows where to press it without removing the boot to release the park lock pawl. I can't say if this is true for all A6's, but it works on a 2006.
Here's what it looks like with the boot off, showing the thing to push down.
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DefaultQuote:
Originally Posted by loragenView Post
I feel bad about commenting on a 7 year old thread, but I want to add something that might be of value to the very helpful comment above... You don't actually need to lift the boot. You can release the park lock with your finger through the boot. See photos below. First photo is location of the lockout lever under the boot. Second shows where to press it without removing the boot to release the park lock pawl. I can't say if this is true for all A6's, but it works on a 2006.
Here's what it looks like with the boot off, showing the thing to push down.
Here's the place to push through the boot to release the shifter from park.
If it is the shifter problem, keep tapping the pedal until you hear the solenoid in the shifter start clicking. Then after that you have the choice of either putting in a new shifter or fixing it yourself.
I feel bad about commenting on a 7 year old thread, but I want to add something that might be of value to the very helpful comment above... You don't actually need to lift the boot. You can release the park lock with your finger through the boot. See photos below. First photo is location of the lockout lever under the boot. Second shows where to press it without removing the boot to release the park lock pawl. I can't say if this is true for all A6's, but it works on a 2006.
Here's what it looks like with the boot off, showing the thing to push down.
Here's the place to push through the boot to release the shifter from park.
Did they change the pawl position on the 08-13 model years? I had the problem on my 08 and cut my pawl off. Have since sold the car, but pretty sure I remember it being located to the left side of the gear shifter, not far from (ie to the rear of) the pointer showing which gear had been selected.
06-23-2008, 07:42 PM
Help!! Stuck In Park!!
