2003 Pontiac Montana Owner's Manual - Page 147

Torque Lock If you are parking on a hill and you don't shift your transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in the transaxle. 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 lnto Park (P) on page 2-38. When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of PARK (P) before you release the parking brake. 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 transaxle, so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P). Shifting Out of Park (P) Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock control system. You have to fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P), when the ignition is in RUN. As you step on the brake pedal, while in PARK (P), you may hear a click from the solenoid of the system. This ensures that the system is operating properly. See Automatic Transaxle Operation on page 2-33. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever by pushing the shift lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then try to move the shift lever into the gear you want. If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can't shift out of PARK (P), try this: 1. Turn the ignition key to OFF. 2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4. 3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N). 4. Start the engine and then shift to the drive gear you want. 5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can. 2-40