Torque Lock

If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your transmission into P (Park) 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 P (Park).

This is called torque lock. To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift into P (Park) properly before you leave the driver seat. To find out how, Shifting Into Park on page 9‑33.

When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of P (Park) 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, then you will be able to pull the shift lever out of P (Park).

    See also:

    What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
    In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing the bag to break out of the cover and ...

    Control of a Vehicle
    Braking, steering, and accelerating are important factors in helping to control a vehicle while driving. ...

    Vehicle Overview
    GM says the Sierra 1500 Hybrid's gasoline V-8 and electric motors team up for an overall mileage improvement compared with the regular Sierra. The Sierra Hybrid is only available as a rear- or fou ...