# HELP!!! My Cruze is stuck in N or R



## cruzeinCT (Jul 29, 2012)

Hey Everyone, I'm new here and have a question. I went out last night got home and shut my car off before I put it in park. My key wouldn't come out so I looked down and thought how stupid I was. I then put my foot on the break and put the car into park. My key would not come out and the car would not turn on. I was so upset. I went out this morning and grabbed my manual and check it out and found that there was an over ride button to unlock the automatic shift. I over road it and got the shifter to move to N. The car started and will go into R but wont show any other gear. Every gear it says it's in N.. Is there a way to reset the computer so that it registers what gear it's in? Just had the recalls fixed or check out yesterday and an oil change. Wondering if the guy did something to my car??? HELP ME 
Angela


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Shutting the car off when in N shouldn't be an issue. I've done it dozens of times over the years in all the automatic cars I've owned/driven, and never had a problem. 

I'd start the car in Neutral again, and with the parking brake firmly set and your foot pushing the brake pedal down to the floor, try moving the shifter through all the positions again. 

I'm wondering if you were pressing the brake pedal down while moving the shifter, as it's not clear if you did or not. I'm guessing that since you over-rode the locking mechanism, it hasn't re-set itself yet. If you were moving the shifter without your foot on the brake pedal, the mechanism would not have re-set. 

If that fails, I'm assuming you still have warranty remaining, so getting the car flat-bedded to the dealer is still a choice. 

Good luck!


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

Try disconnecting the battery for about 30 minutes and see if that resets it.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Mick said:


> Try disconnecting the battery for about 30 minutes and see if that resets it.


That would be my guess at this point, as that override they used is for towing the car, my guess as to why it is now stuck in N mode. 

I have actually done the same thing with my cruze & could not turn the key, & shifter was locked(not in park). The steering wheel was also locked, so I Jiggled the wheel slightly back & forth & turned the key with a bit more pressure. The key felt like it was stuck in a groove when it finally did turn. Once I had the key forward I could shift it to park, then I could crank/start the car.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Ever read any statistics where steering wheel locks prevent thief? I haven't and to make it even worse, use the cheapest pot metal to make these components. At first a hardened steel key blank on a six inch steel bar can break those tumblers in an instant, typically 3/32" diameter pieces of brass.

Coupled with most towns have switched to diagonal parking, even in our town, DMV had to set up a couple of saw horses to see if you can parallel park. Always a crown in the road, downhill, if your right front wheel moves down and hits that curb, you will never unlock your steering wheel. Here that hardened steel thief tool may work.

Since locking steering wheels does not work for anti-thief, pieces of ferrous metal have been added to the tips of the tumblers. Here alignment of the tumblers completes a magnetic circuit detected by a Hall Effect transistor to produce a narrow range voltage the PCM is looking at before it lets you start your car. With this, why are they still locking the steering wheel? Because it was done that way for years now.

Does this work? Not really, thieves have to resort to getting a gun to hold this to your head or if you are not around, a flatbed truck works wonders. VIN doesn't work, with the skyrocketing price of parts, made a new market for striped down vehicle parts. Neither does using ID codes in key components, just need better educated thieves to work around this.

With the automatic transmission came the parking pawl, wasn't too bad at first, as very rugged with a cast iron transmission housing. But cast iron requires a foundry at 2,700*F, magnetic induction is far more EPA approved with the much lower melting temperature of aluminum. Ha, claims it saves weight, but far cheaper in production, more money for the stockholders. Someone rear ends your parked car, can cause you thousands of dollars with transmission damage.

But that wasn't enough, some people claimed their vehicles jumped out of park and ran over their kids, so had to be integrated into the ignition switch, first mechanically, now electrically. Can't remove your key unless you are in park. Plus applying the service brake as well, more cheap contacts to cause you grief.

Can't do much with the steering wheel lock, if you disable it, may have major problems with your insurance company, but can do away with AT problems by buying a vehicle with a manual transmission.

Loud beeping horns and flashing lights are no protection, triggered by a slight nanoampere signal and are going off on their own all time. People have learned to ignore them, except at the middle of the night.

Automatic door locks serve the best protection against a three year old, anyone larger can buy a climbers hammer and with one light tap, grab you around the neck.

With anti-thief, major beneficiaries of these devices is your dealer, problems really start in a four-five year old out of warranty vehicle keeping the rightful owner from starting their vehicles. Requires very specialized test equipment for error detection. Also that steering wheel airbag doesn't help where many people were injured by them.

Cruze key was directed against locksmiths, requiring them to lay out over 10,000 bucks for special laser cutting equipment. Also a PITA for the owners, that groove constantly gets loaded with lint preventing you from starting your car.

Any counters to these statements? If they are any, by the people benefiting from these changes, certainly not the public.


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## Jaycruze (Jul 11, 2011)

does the shifter move smooth like it normally would ? this happened to me but it was because a pinecone got under my hood and it jammed the shifter mechanism.

Check under your hood for any crap that might be sitting in there.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Jaycruze said:


> does the shifter move smooth like it normally would ? this happened to me but it was because a pinecone got under my hood and it jammed the shifter mechanism.
> 
> Check under your hood for any crap that might be sitting in there.


:question::signs015:


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## Jaycruze (Jul 11, 2011)

obermd said:


> :question::signs015:


True story! here's my thread about it lol... http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-service-issues/4617-shifter-got-stuck.html

but ya I think this person is having a different problem actually =/
Mine got stuck in park with the key stuck in the ignition.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Jaycruze said:


> True story! here's my thread about it lol... http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-service-issues/4617-shifter-got-stuck.html
> 
> but ya I think this person is having a different problem actually =/
> Mine got stuck in park with the key stuck in the ignition.


I can totally see this happening, I have found at least three walnuts squirrel have placed in my cruze engine compartment. Actually on my 2004 cavalier my girlfriend called frantically that the throttle was sticking one day. Once I got a chance to look at the car the **** squirrel had placed a walnut right below the throttle & once the pedal was pushed enough it jammed. 

Guess Squirrels like there nuts roasty.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

cruzeinCT said:


> Hey Everyone, I'm new here and have a question. I went out last night got home and shut my car off before I put it in park. My key wouldn't come out so I looked down and thought how stupid I was. I then put my foot on the break and put the car into park. My key would not come out and the car would not turn on. I was so upset. I went out this morning and grabbed my manual and check it out and found that there was an over ride button to unlock the automatic shift. I over road it and got the shifter to move to N. The car started and will go into R but wont show any other gear. Every gear it says it's in N.. Is there a way to reset the computer so that it registers what gear it's in? Just had the recalls fixed or check out yesterday and an oil change. Wondering if the guy did something to my car??? HELP ME
> Angela




Angela,
Are you still experiencing this issue? If you are I would suggest that you have your Cruze towed to your dealer and have them look into this for you. Please keep me posted on your progress with this. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact me anytime.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Jaycruze said:


> True story! here's my thread about it lol... http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/25-service-issues/4617-shifter-got-stuck.html
> 
> but ya I think this person is having a different problem actually =/
> Mine got stuck in park with the key stuck in the ignition.


I wasn't doubting your story - it was for the "wow, give me beer" effect after you figured out what happened.


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## GM_6T40_Trans_Engineer (Feb 26, 2011)

Did you put the car in Park and try to start the car? Then shift to D? What does it do then?


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

It might be a standard transmission, the OP didn't say.

So far, between the pine cone and the walnut the problem seems to be a loose nut.


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## firstowncruze (Sep 21, 2014)

*my 2012 blue chevy cruze*

Hey my name is telisha,i came out for the night drive and car was driving just fine...come back home to put my car in park and it wont go into park.it will go in to drive and back up...what should i do i tried to reset the button on the right side 4 times and it will not work..now i had to take my battery apart to turn offf my car....please help me out


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

firstowncruze said:


> Hey my name is telisha,i came out for the night drive and car was driving just fine...come back home to put my car in park and it wont go into park.it will go in to drive and back up...what should i do i tried to reset the button on the right side 4 times and it will not work..now i had to take my battery apart to turn offf my car....please help me out


Hello Telisha,

Very sorry for this concern with your Cruze. Have you considered taking this into the dealership? They may be able to assist you with this further. If you need any assistance with this, please do not hesitate to send us a private message along with your VIN, current mileage, contact information and preferred dealership. We hope to hear from you soon. 

Patsy G
Chevrolet Customer Care


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