Parking An Automatic Car

[bangkokrick]

Hi Guys,

This is a serious question so please be kind. I have just bought a Ford focus automatic car and i have normally only driven manual gearbox cars. The question is that when i get to a car park where the personnel request that you leave the car out of gear so that it can be pushed if necessary, how the hel_l do i do it?

I have to leave the car in P to remove the key and then i cant change the gear to neutral. Am I doing something wrong because the last time this happened the guy looked at me like 'i had gone out'.

Cheers, Rick

[britmaveric]

Usually the "N" on the shifter is Neutral. So if they want you to do so then leave car in this and release the parking break.

[mikethevigoman]

Hi Guys,

This is a serious question so please be kind. I have just bought a Ford focus automatic car and i have normally only driven manual gearbox cars. The question is that when i get to a car park where the personnel request that you leave the car out of gear so that it can be pushed if necessary, how the hel_l do i do it?

I have to leave the car in P to remove the key and then i cant change the gear to neutral. Am I doing something wrong because the last time this happened the guy looked at me like 'i had gone out'.

Cheers, Rick

some vehicles such as the navara cant be left in anything other than park with the key removed, tricky one if the guys want to be moving it ,you wil have to let them have the key or leave the key in it, dodgy, best park in a proper spot if possible

[bangkokrick]

Usually the "N" on the shifter is Neutral. So if they want you to do so then leave car in this and release the parking break.

Hi Brit,

Thanks for the answer. The problem is that i cant get the key out in anything else than P. When i take out the key i cant change to N. strange but true.

Cheers, Rick

[bangkokrick]

Hi Guys,

This is a serious question so please be kind. I have just bought a Ford focus automatic car and i have normally only driven manual gearbox cars. The question is that when i get to a car park where the personnel request that you leave the car out of gear so that it can be pushed if necessary, how the hel_l do i do it?

I have to leave the car in P to remove the key and then i cant change the gear to neutral. Am I doing something wrong because the last time this happened the guy looked at me like 'i had gone out'.

Cheers, Rick

some vehicles such as the navara cant be left in anything other than park with the key removed, tricky one if the guys want to be moving it ,you wil have to let them have the key or leave the key in it, dodgy, best park in a proper spot if possible

Hi Mike. I might be daft but not daft enough to give then the key. Lets see if anyone can resolve this problem without resorting to that.

Cheers, Rick

[george]

There is a release button you can activate after you are in P position. If you use that button you will be able to move the gear to N after you have removed the key.

[bangkokrick]

There is a release button you can activate after you are in P position. If you use that button you will be able to move the gear to N after you have removed the key.

Hi George,

Thanks for the info! I will check that out when i get back home.

Cheers, Rick.

[MarcoH]

There is a release button you can activate after you are in P position. If you use that button you will be able to move the gear to N after you have removed the key.

George is correct there is and most of the cars has,small either button or squeere place where you ahev to push button down usually with something shart like an other key so no one can accidentally push it, and some cars has protection system even after that, you MUST push brake pedal when you are moving gear shift.

Here you have complete manual and instructions in the section "Driving\automatic trasmision.

then look under BRAKE-shift interlock.

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pubs/cont...1/07focog4e.pdf

[Thaiboxer]

If you park on an incline, be sure to set the handbrake, as the "Park" mechanism in your gearbox is just a small, steel pin which could snap under the weight of the vehicle. The handbrake will relieve a lot of the pressure on that little pin.

[culicine]

My honda civic has a shift lock, whereby after you put it in park and stop the engine, you take out the key. Next, there is a hole near the gear shift where you push the key into. This allows you to put the car into neutral. I'm sure the focus has something similar.

[bangkokrick]

Thanks a lot for all the help guys i will try your suggestions when i return to bangkok at the weekend.

Cheers, Rick

[nidge]

bangkokrick,

i have the same car and the same problem! I will try in about an hour to see if the brake pedal idea works. The other suggestions don't work because i already tried before.

Nidge.

[nidge]

I just tried to change into neutral with my foot on the brake, accelerator and then both at same time. The shift lever was going no where! Any other ideas guys. No extra buttons on the shift and no keyhole on it either

Nidge

[MarcoH]

I just tried to change into neutral with my foot on the brake, accelerator and then both at same time. The shift lever was going no where! Any other ideas guys. No extra buttons on the shift and no keyhole on it either

Nidge

Nidge

Have you open that link what i point you guys out in my previous post, there is even picture how to do it, so you should able to do it,, and pushing gas pedal wont help for anything in this issue

[Maestro]

I see that it is page 145 of the PDF document to which MarcoH posted the link and attach a copy of that page.

--

Maestro

07focog4e_p145.pdf

[bangkokrick]

I see that it is page 145 of the PDF document to which MarcoH posted the link and attach a copy of that page.

--

Maestro

Thanks to everyone for their comments and i will certainly try the ideas when i get back to Bangkok. Great diagram by the way!

Cheers, Rick

[North]

I think this picture shows the gearbox in your Focus, bangkokrick.

north

[bangkokrick]

I think this picture shows the gearbox in your Focus, bangkokrick.

north

Thanks North you are a star mate. That is indeed my gearbox and i think that you have answered my question according to the diagram. I will try it when i get home and let you know how i get on. I seem to remember that you bought the Focus TDI ?

Cheers, Rick

[gnisten]

quote

"Some vehicles such as the navara cant be left in anything other than park with the key removed, tricky one if the guys want to be moving it ,you wil have to let them have the key or leave the key in it, dodgy, best park in a proper spot if possible"

unquote

This is not true. My Navara has a Shift Lock, and it is very easy to select N after the key is removed......

[nidge]

I think this picture shows the gearbox in your Focus, bangkokrick.

north

I have the little square next to my gear shift. But i'll be buggered if i can lift it up without risking a lovely scratch across the surface. Looks like i will be giving it a miss!

Nidge.