Hyundai Elantra Gear Shifter Stuck in Park & How to Release It
Reviewed/Verified by:
Hyundai shifters may get stuck in Park position and refuse to leave park or move to Drive.
At a Glance
- Quick release: Pry off the small shift lock cover near the shifter, press down inside with a key or screwdriver while holding the brake, and move to Neutral
- Most common cause: A faulty brake light switch (check if the brake lights work)
- Other causes: Dead battery, blown fuse, shift lock solenoid or a broken shifter cable
- Safety: Parking brake on before releasing the shifter
- Next step: Fix the cause; the release is a temporary workaround
This problem is usually due to a faulty brake light switch, electrical issue, broken shifter cable, or faulty shifter.
The good news is that there is a way to manually override the shifter and force it to move between gears. Follow the instructions below to learn how to get your Hyundai out of Park.
🔧 Find out what is actually wrong before you pay someone to guess
Dealer level diagnostics at home with the YOUCANIC UCAN-II Pro.
- ✔ Covers most makes and models, including many luxury brands. Send us your VIN and we will confirm your car before you order
- ✔ Reads every module, not just the engine, so you find the faults a basic reader says are not there
- ✔ Commands the car: test a fan or pump, bleed ABS, retract an electronic parking brake, register a battery
- ✔ No subscriptions. Free lifetime updates, so the price you pay is the whole price
- ✔ Backed by real mechanics in the USA you can email before and after you buy
Featured in The Wall Street Journal
Common Causes
If your Hyundai is stuck in Park (P), it can be due to several factors. Here is a list of the most common issues that can cause Hyundai cars to be stuck in Park.
- Dead car battery
- Defective brake light switch
- Bad ignition switch
- The defective cable between the ignition switch and shifter
- Defective key interlock system
How to Manually Release Hyundai Shifter
- Set the parking brake. Risk of vehicle rolling when the shifter is moved out of Park.
- Locate the shift lock override and remove the cap.
- Insert a flat screwdriver into the access hole and press down.
- Move the shifter out of the Park position.
For more help with your Hyundai, check out our auto repair guides section.
These instructions apply to Hyundai Elantra, Sonata, Entourage, Accent, Veloster, Excel, i30, Azera, Sedona, etc.
Troubleshooting and Reset
One way to know what is wrong with your Hyundai is to use an OBDII scanner like the YOUCANIC UCAN-II Pro. This powerful scanner can easily read and clear fault codes from all the systems in your Hyundai.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Hyundai stuck in Park?
Suppose the shift lever of a Hyundai Sonata, Elantra, Sonata, Azera, Santa Fe, Elantra, or Entourage won’t shift into or out of Park. Check to ensure that the brake light switch is working properly. This is one of the most common problems that will make a Hyundai vehicle get stuck in the Park.
The Hyundai shifter is stuck in PARK, and the dashboard lights turn on
This can be due to a defective ignition interlock mechanism or cable.
How do you diagnose a bad brake light switch?
Since the brake light switches are so inexpensive, replacing them with a new one may be a good idea if you have problems with your Hyundai getting stuck in the Park. You can also test the operation of the brake light switch using a multimer or a diagnostic scanner.
Related Guides
- Hyundai Check Inattentive Driving Warning System: What It Means and How to Fix It
- Hyundai Battery Discharging Warning: What It Means and How to Fix It
- 2010-15 Hyundai Elantra Engine Air Filter Replacement
- 2010 to 2015 Hyundai Elantra Replace Interior Light Bulb
Easy fix. Remove the shift lock release button and push down inside and it will go into gear. I had to do this several times then it just started shifting into gear afterwards. it cost me $150.00 for this fix.
I had the same problem. It cost me $150 to solve the problem!
Remove the shift lock release button and get a pin and push the button inside. Problem FIXED.
Yes. Take the shift release button out and get a pin and push down inside this button. Shift problem FIXED. This cost me $150.00. I’d hate for this to cost anyone else!!!! That’s why I’m posting this.
I symphasize for you. There is an “easy fix” but they don’t tell you on the phone. They wait until you have someone to look at it and they get inside your car, take the shift release button out and take a pin and push this button, and still charge you $150.00 to do it for you instead of just telling you and it still costs you out the ass !!!!
I have a Hyundai Elantra gt and the shifter was stuck in park. They don’t tell you where this switch is, but they tell you how to release it. There’s a shift lock release button and you remove this button and you take a pin and push down and then it releases the shifter and only then will it go into gear. This was an expensive $150.00 problem. Never again will I purchase another Hyundai Elantra GT !!!! SO, THOSE WHO HAVE A HYUNDAI ELANTRA GT before you make that call and they charge you $150.00 to show you how to unlock it, take heed. The shift lock release button is an easy fix. Remove this button and push down inside the button and away you go. Only then can you shift the car out of park.
i have a 2015 Sonata.. my first and my last, never again hyundai.. since when are all your parts dealer only….who does this.. i replaced the brake light switch, then replaced the shifter, and still no shift… my car also sometimes get stuck in limp mode and the riverside hyundai dealership still doesnt know why…. engine recall at 150k miles… i should have traded it in then,,, so many problems so many issues… after i pay it off im driving it to the wrecking yard so no one else has to drive it….. hyundai is a joke…. … please dont buy another sonata no matter what year,, it will give you nothing but problems…. im so tired of sticking a screw driver into that slot almost 8 months now……. id like to drive it through the window of a dealership.. so they can have this junky car back
My 2018 Hyundai Sonata had the gear lock up, though the dashboard lights, radio, etc., functioned as normal. I could not remedy this. WORSE I could not get ANY service from the local Hyundai service departments in two cities. This is both unacceptable and … in fact … given that we are presently enduring a national emergency, a disgrace. I find it especially bad, because, coming from the computer industry, we have a completely different attitude toward customers, especially those who purchase large budget items, whether software or hardware. The statement, “We will not put our master technicians on the phone to talk to you,” is despicable. Unfortunately, we’re new Hyundai customers, having purchased both a new Sonata a couple years ago, and more recently, a Kona. I will dump this car as soon as I can NOT because it may be a simple solution, whatever the problem BUT because the service people at the Hyundai dealerships behaved like jerks and did not even care to provide a solution. Now I was in a hurry to an appointment on a Saturday. One dealership 50 miles away said, “Let’s tow it, and take a look at it.” Thanks but no thanks. I still don’t have a solution yet. But if it turns out to be a simple fix, I’ll do what I can to broadcast this monstrous disregard for American customers as far and as wide as I can propagate the information. My advice: NEVER BUY A HYUNDAI.
My car is doing the same exact thing. Did you figure out what it was. And with mine i cant connect to the computer
If you own a Hyundai Sonata and want to find out more, call Hyundai customer service at 800-633-5151 and give them recall number 119.
Read what owners complain about the most about their Hyundai Sonata.
My Hyundai sonata y20 2012 the lights came on the dash Abs light and brake light . Then it wont go into gear .
My battery is good, key ignition is good, brake light come on .. plz help any advice
My hyundai sonata 2012 korea is stuck in park when abs and brake is showing on dashboard.it affects temperature,air condition to stop working until abs and brake light vanishes now everything will come back to work in normal
Hyundai Ioniq transmission stuck in park (2019 with 4000 miles) got it to dealer got it fixed, picked it up and an hour later it was stuck again
In my case, my 2011 elanta wont fo out of park and it has the traction control, abs,emergency brake, eps, and tire pressure lights all stay on on the dashboard.
2011 Hyundai Sonata I am getting sick of this happening we are getting ready to put another new one this will be the second one within a month. The other day we went to go to Church and stuck the screw driver in and the car would not come out of park. I only have 80,000 miles on this car and in all my 71 years have I had so many recalls or extended warranties on any vehicles I have owned.
This also is happening to our 2014 Elantra on the hottest of days.
This only happens on very hot days. How do I fix this?
Is this situation going to be a recall. I’m sick and tired of this defect preventing me from getting to work or home at night?
If your car won’t come out of park it could be the break light fuse. Check that your rear light come on when the peddle is pressed if not the fuse may be blown. Look for the fuse STOP and replace the fuse (use the cigarette fuse for a quick fix)
Experienced dead Battery and lost complete power. Battery was replaced and I regained power. However car was stuck in park until I depressed release. What is the sustainable solution?
In older cars without the shift lock bypass switch (2002), you can push thru it.
All the lights came on the dash. Then it wont go into gear