2008 Chevrolet Impala Owner's Manual - Page 106

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running Torque Lock If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called torque lock. To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver's seat. To find out how, see Shifting Into PARK (P) on page 2-30. If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission, so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P). {CAUTION: It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with the engine running. Your vehicle could move suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat and even catch fire. You or others could be injured. Do not leave your vehicle with the engine running. If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. See Parking Brake on page 2-30 for more information. Shifting Out of PARK (P) Automatic Transmission Shift Lock This vehicle has an electronic shift lock release system. The shift lock release is designed to: • Prevent ignition key removal unless the shift lever is in PARK (P) • Prevent movement of the shift lever out of PARK (P), unless the ignition is in ON/RUN and the regular brake pedal is applied. 2-32