How to shift into Neutral with dead battery??

Radchad · May 19, 2019

So if your battery is dead or you blow an oil cooler line and cannot start ( like some have already ) how does one shift truck into neutral??? Anybody else thought of this??

Edited May 19, 2019 by Radchad

dtnel78 · May 19, 2019

They snatch it from the back and take the rear wheels off the ground and lock the steering wheel straight ahead and head down the road.

If they can only grab from the front they can always remove the driveline assembly.

Another way is they have Dolly's they can put the rear wheels on, pull it forward, set it dow and grab from the rear then.

Some of the newest tow trucks especially those that do city towing are able to pull up just beside and a little forward of the vehicle and use their boom and still snake a car out even old it's parallel parked with cars in front and behind. The repo industry has shifted to this as deadbeats who don't pay their car note will try anything to keep a tow truck from getting it. BAd news though as I saw one in Europe on YouTube that can pull up beside you and has a boom that comes off the truck on the side and they can pull up beside you, use their specialty machine that reaches under and grabs each wheel, locks it in and lifts the vehicle up and slides it sideways onto the flatbed deck of the tow truck.

Also in the U.S. that's another thing. They have rollback flatbed tow trucks which can winch you up onto the truck and drive away.

There's many ways to hook up to a vehicle without damaging it.

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dtnel78 · May 19, 2019

Also most of the tow trucks have jumper cables or they can hookup the cables to the vehicle to give it enough power to put it into neutral if needed but generally you don't need to be in neutral to be towed because the majority of cars are front wheel drive.

Know if it's an all wheel drive vehicle then they have to use a tow dolly on the rear wheels and hook it from the front or reverse of that.

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ddanis60 · May 19, 2019

most automatics have a little transmission release button too. i didn't know about it until we had our 370z towed a few years ago. the tow driver said its there just for those situations. I'm sure our vehicles have one somewhere. not positive though.

Radchad · May 19, 2019

Ok. Should have worded that different.

I understand the tow truck situation.

Scenario : My truck dies while idling in Park in front of my garage door , I want to shift into N and push my truck in my garage.

how is this done. Someone must know.

ShamrockShooter · May 19, 2019

Push the start button with your foot off break to go into accessory power mode, then put your foot on the brake and try shifting to neutral?

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Wiggums · May 20, 2019

The start button would work if the battery's dead?

DeePa · May 21, 2019

Remove driveshafts

dtnel78 · May 21, 2019

Power the ecm and like on my 04 tahoe you can push 2 buttons and it'll put the transfer case into neutral allowing it to be towed. I think I found that info in the owners manual which I'm sure would be under towing or maybe another topic. IF you can get to the accessory position you can normally shift the vehicle into neutral and the transfer case also.

Hope that helps.

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ddanis60 · May 23, 2019

On 5/19/2019 at 8:49 AM, Radchad said:

Ok. Should have worded that different.

I understand the tow truck situation.

Scenario : My truck dies while idling in Park in front of my garage door , I want to shift into N and push my truck in my garage.

how is this done. Someone must know.

I mentioned the tow truck because that's generally who uses that trans release button i mentioned. even without a tow truck involved, the release i mentioned could be used to shift out of park... for any situation requiring neutral with a dead battery. again though, i dont know if our trucks have that. i just know ive seen this on many automatics over the years. especially with push button acc/start.

VGZPRT · January 27, 2020

2019 Sierra Denali but should work for all start/stop button trucks.

Last time I was at my local GMC dealership i asked how to put the transmission into neutral without starting the truck. I was told there is no way. Well that’s BS as usual coming from the well trained personnel at my location.
If you don’t want to start your truck for whatever reason and you want to put it in neutral to push it roll it or whatever. Press and hold the start/stop button with key in pocket or hand and foot off the brake pedal for 3-5 sec. lights on your dashboard will flash and your car will go into ACC or whatever mode now you can move the gear leaver.

if somebody knows how to reboot the infotainment system while driving without showing the truck off please let me know.

BlancoSilverado · January 27, 2020

On 5/20/2019 at 6:26 PM, DeePa said:

Remove driveshafts

What about if the electronic brake is on? if you remove the rear tire you cant remove the brake system since it is engaged.

OnTheReel · January 28, 2020

Carrying this covers most of my bases, and also lets me help other people out.

Of course there’s a tiny chance of a total electrical failure or the little interlock in the column failing. But under warranty, that gets categorized as a “not my problem”. And not under warranty, I am convinced I don’t want this truck anyway...

jgisonfire · January 29, 2020

The Manual says this

Shifting out of Park

This vehicle is equipped with an electronic shift lock release system. The system is designed to prevent movement of the shift lever out of P (Park), unless the brake pedal is applied and the ignition is on or in Service Mode.

The shift lock release is always functional except in the case of an uncharged or low voltage – less than 9 volt – battery.

If the vehicle has an uncharged or low voltage battery, try charging or jump starting the battery. See Jump Starting - North America 0 396. To shift out of P (Park):

1. Apply the brake pedal.

2. Release the parking brake if it is applied. See Electric Parking Brake 0 242.

3. Pull the shift lever toward you, then move it to the desired position, and release.

If the vehicle still cannot be shifted out of P (Park):

1. Ease the pressure on, or release the shift lever.

2. While holding the brake pedal, push the shift lever all the way into P (Park).

3. Pull the shift lever toward you, then move it to the desired position, and release.

If there is still a problem shifting, have the vehicle serviced soon.