Q: Car won't shift out of Park

One of the more common reasons I have come across as to why your Chevy will not shift out of park is the brake light switch failing. It is natural to ask why the brake light would prevent your Chevy from shifting into gear. This is actually a safety feature that is pre-built into most vehicles. In order to shift your Chevy out of park, the car needs to identify that there is control. This is done via brake pedal depression, allowing the vehicle to safely change gears.

The brake light switch will go bad sometimes due to frequent use. One way to verify this is by enlisting the help of a friend and having them stand behind your Chevy while you step on the brake pedal. If the brake lights do not come on, then indeed a faulty brake light switch is causing your concern. However if you do see your Chevy’s brake lights come on, then the issue with the gear being unable to shift out of park, will be found elsewhere. If you are having trouble, I would recommend having a certified technician come and diagnose your car’s gear shifting issue.