Moving the Stinger in Neutral ?

[DCBStingerGT]

Every car i have owned has been an automatic, and all those previous cars including the Commodore I still own today, if you need to move the car ever so slightly forward or back , i would usually just put the auto in Neutral, and just push the car into the position I need, of course i am talking about a very very short distance, anyway here is what happened tonight, i had to take out the rubbish bins tonight to place them on the nature strip for collection, I have to take the bins through the garage from the back yard, unfortunately the Stinger was parked too close to the garage door, so the bins could not pass, never having to do this before in the Stinger , i tried to change it into Neutral without turning on the engine, then just push the car back just enough to leave a gap for the bins to pass in the front, no go on that one, so i start her up, and reverse it back, all done, and before anyone tells me to just start her up, i have no problem at all with it, i just didn't realise this is the first car i have owned that you can't put it in Neutral and push it, without the engine running, if anyone knows it can be done, please contribute and tell us all how you can do it.

 

[ShannonC]

Had the same "issue" when i wanted to roll it slightly to clean the wheels. I doubt there's a workaround.

 

[Ozstung]

Interesting, so what happens when the car say breaks down and has to be towed it would surely be in neutral then?

 

[ShannonC]

Good point, maybe I needed to push harder

 

[Coast GT]

Did you take the park brake off?

Seriously though assuming you did that and it still didn’t work, I’m pretty sure there’s something in the manual I vaguely remember reading. There’s a small panel just in front of the gear selector that you can pop, then use the key (removed from the fob) to push in or move whatever is under the panel. It disengages the gears etc to allow towing. If you’re just wanting to move it to get bins past it might just be easier starting her up and rolling back/forward. Anyway that’s what I recall reading, but it’s been a while so check your manual. There has to be a way to do that for breakdowns etc.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Interesting, so what happens when the car say breaks down and has to be towed it would surely be in neutral then?

The manual says never tow the Stinger with the wheels on the ground. Use a flatbed or wheel dollies. AWD transaxles and the AWD system can be damaged if you allow the wheels to roll while being towed. If you are going to be towed using the tow hook with all four wheel on the ground, a driver must remain in the vehicle to operate the steering and brakes.

I've never had an automatic that allowed the shifter to be moved to neutral without turning the key to start position. Since the Stinger is keyless start, it only makes sense that you have to start it in order to move the shifter.

 

[Ozstung]

The manual says never tow the Stinger with the wheels on the ground. Use a flatbed or wheel dollies. AWD transaxles and the AWD system can be damaged if you allow the wheels to roll while being towed. If you are going to be towed using the tow hook with all four wheel on the ground, a driver must remain in the vehicle to operate the steering and brakes.

I've never had an automatic that allowed the shifter to be moved to neutral without turning the key to start position. Since the Stinger is keyless start, it only makes sense that you have to start it in order to move the shifter.

We don't have the AWD model here. Does it saying anything about the RWD in there?

 

[MerlintheMad]

We don't have the AWD model here. Does it saying anything about the RWD in there?

Speaking of the car generally it says on page 6 | 23: "The use of wheel dollies or flatbed is recommended."

The cautionaries about possible damage to the transaxle only come under the AWD instructions, if you tow with the wheels on the ground. Exception: it says "Do not tow the vehicle backwards with the front wheels on the ground as this may cause damage to the vehicle." And: Do not tow with sling-type equipment. Use wheel lift or flatbed equipment."

Another general cautionary: "When towing your vehicle in an emergency without wheel dollies: 1. Set the Engine Start/Stop button to the ACC position. 2. Place the transaxle shift lever in N (Neutral). 3. Release the parking brake."

"Caution: Towing gear position
Failure to place the transaxle shift lever in N (Neutral) may cause internal damage to the transaxle."

 

[ShannonC]

Did you take the park brake off?

Seriously though assuming you did that and it still didn’t work, I’m pretty sure there’s something in the manual I vaguely remember reading. There’s a small panel just in front of the gear selector that you can pop, then use the key (removed from the fob) to push in or move whatever is under the panel. It disengages the gears etc to allow towing. If you’re just wanting to move it to get bins past it might just be easier starting her up and rolling back/forward. Anyway that’s what I recall reading, but it’s been a while so check your manual. There has to be a way to do that for breakdowns etc.

What your referring to is called "shift lock override" and is detailed on page 5.20 of our AUS manual. It seems to refer to the process of getting a stuck in park transmission to go to reverse but that's only relevant for transaxle equipped vehicles.
There's another section on page 5.29 about parking in neutral and wanting to push the vehicle (auto transmission with shift by wire, which our AUS are).
All that seems to make sense but I doubt any of us want to park in neutral particularly with the handbrake off.

 

[ShannonC]

Interesting, so what happens when the car say breaks down and has to be towed it would surely be in neutral then?

Hypothetical:
I return to my beloved Stinger and it won't start. I've followed my usual shut down procedure and both park and brake are active so I can't move it and decided to get to towed. I turn ignition to acc as detailed on page 6.39 but can't shift to N or release brake. I pop that little panel and depress the button, try shifting but P still displays on dash and I cannot release brake. Try the same procedure on the next ignition setting with the same result. I give up and call Kia!!!
Seems the only way to get out of P and disengage brake is with engine running.

 

[D.J.]

Do this. Problem solved


Kia Stinger tool-less shift to neutral with engine off - just trim the 4 tabs/legs

 

[MerlintheMad]

Do this. Problem solved


Kia Stinger tool-less shift to neutral with engine off - just trim the 4 tabs/legs

Why are those tabs that long in the first place? This is just creepy.

 

[D.J.]

Why are those tabs that long in the first place? This is just creepy.

The tabs prevent the button from being pressed. They are like stoppers.

 

[MerlintheMad]

The tabs prevent the button from being pressed. They are like stoppers.

I'm not getting this: why have a button that can't be pressed in the first place?

 

[D.J.]

I'm not getting this: why have a button that can't be pressed in the first place?

That's why I modified the cover.

Setting the car up on the hoist is so much easier in neutral

 

[MerlintheMad]

That's why I modified the cover.

Setting the car up on the hoist is so much easier in neutral

Still! Why did Kia put a "button" in that isn't a button? You have to cut the little "legs" off to make it work. That's the part I don't understand.

 

[eflyguy]

Because, just like every other automatic, the override has to be covered to prevent the vehicle being put into neutral accidentally - like by an unattended child.

It's only intended to be used when a vehicle is disabled, and needs to be pulled up onto a flat bed or similar.

 

[SteveCo]

Keep a small screwdriver in your console or glove box, possibly along with a copy of the directions for use as a refresher (if you don't normally keep the OM on board).

Then in the unlikely event that you ever need to use it while away from home base, you'll be able to do so as intended - without defeating the protection provided by the cover cap.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I had something happen to me, related to this inability to release the parking brake. While poised for entry into an automated car wash, the "grabber" wheels of the conveyor were trying to move my car and were slipping under the left tires (this was the likely moment when my left rims got dinged; not my driving approach to the conveyor): the attendant was yelling, "release the brake!" repeatedly and I was looking around at how to do that, and coming up blank. She reached in and pushed the ISG, which was lit up, i.e. OFF, as I always have it (the auto hold was already OFF, as I learned a long time ago that the car will not be movable with the auto hold ON). The car was suddenly movable: I had all the while been pressing down on the EPB lever, but the PB icon was still lit up, i.e. the PB was still engaged. I don't think that turning ISG ON (light OFF) had anything to do with the car suddenly being movable; that was just a coincidence of timing with my fiddling around with the EPB lever. The next time I went through the car wash tunnel, I deliberately prepared by turning auto hold OFF and releasing the PB before I got on the conveyor. Something about doing that after getting on the conveyor (the time before) probably messed with the PB and wouldn't let it release.

Anybody have any ideas on what happened?

 

[D.J.]

Keep a small screwdriver in your console or glove box, possibly along with a copy of the directions for use as a refresher (if you don't normally keep the OM on board).

Then in the unlikely event that you ever need to use it while away from home base, you'll be able to do so as intended - without defeating the protection provided by the cover cap.

That's a good idea.

I prefer the tool-less approach for my situation.

I had something happen to me, related to this inability to release the parking brake. While poised for entry into an automated car wash, the "grabber" wheels of the conveyor were trying to move my car and were slipping under the left tires (this was the likely moment when my left rims got dinged; not my driving approach to the conveyor): the attendant was yelling, "release the brake!" repeatedly and I was looking around at how to do that, and coming up blank. She reached in and pushed the ISG (Idle Stop and Go), which was lit up, i.e. OFF, as I always have it (the auto hold was already OFF, as I learned a long time ago that the car will not be movable with the auto hold ON). The car was suddenly movable: I had all the while been pressing down on the EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) lever, but the PB icon was still lit up, i.e. the PB was still engaged. I don't think that turning ISG (Idle Stop and Go) ON (light OFF) had anything to do with the car suddenly being movable; that was just a coincidence of timing with my fiddling around with the EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) lever. The next time I went through the car wash tunnel, I deliberately prepared by turning auto hold OFF and releasing the PB before I got on the conveyor. Something about doing that after getting on the conveyor (the time before) probably messed with the PB and wouldn't let it release.

Anybody have any ideas on what happened?

Assuming the vehicle was running.

Did you tap the brake pedal while pressing down on the EPB? That would release the parking brake.

Just pressing down on the EPB should not do anything unless you also press the brake pedal