1999 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner's Manual - Page 99

yellowblue 3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK. 4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle with the ignition key in your hand, the vehicle is in PARK (P). If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running, be sure the vehicle is in PARK (P) and the parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After you've moved the shift lever into PARK (P) position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move the shift lever away from PARK (P) without first pulling it toward you (or, if you have a console shift lever, without first pushing the button). If you can, it means that the shift lever wasn't fully locked into PARK (P). Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running 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. Don't leave your vehicle with the engine running unless you have to. 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 Into PARK (P)" in the Index. 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). 2-39