2005 Pontiac Montana Owner's Manual - Page 137

Torque Lock If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your vehicle 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 2-38. 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 transmission, 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 which locks the shift lever in PARK (P) when the ignition is in the OFF position. In addition, you must fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is in the RUN position. See Automatic Transaxle Operation on page 2-33. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then, move the shift lever into the gear you want. If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still cannot shift out of PARK (P), do the following: 1. Turn the ignition key to the OFF position. 2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4. 3. Shift the transaxle to NEUTRAL (N). 4. Start the engine and then shift to the gear you want. 5. Have the system fixed as soon as you can. 2-39