BMW 540i xDrive Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(6,607)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(6,607)

Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection Service

How much does a Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a BMW 540i xDrive Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
2022 BMW 540i xDriveL6-3.0L Turbo HybridService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
2019 BMW 540i xDriveL6-3.0L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2020 BMW 540i xDriveL6-3.0L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2018 BMW 540i xDriveL6-3.0L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
2021 BMW 540i xDriveL6-3.0L Turbo HybridService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.02 - $112.55
2017 BMW 540i xDriveL6-3.0L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
* BMW 540i xDriveL6-3.0L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$109.87 - $117.28
Show example BMW 540i xDrive Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection prices

You start the car up, put your foot the brake, push the button on the shifter and it won’t shift out of park. What do you do now? Don’t force the shifter. Forcing the shifter out of park may cause more damage. The shifter is connected to the transmission in some cars mechanically or electronically. If an electrical or mechanical component has failed between the shifter and transmission, you won’t be able to shift the car out of park. A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to diagnose the problem with your vehicle. The mechanic will then provide an inspection report detailing the scope and cost of the necessary repairs

When to have your shifter inspected or replaced:

Have this system inspected only when a part in the shifter or part of the system that operates the transmission breaks] . There is no scheduled time frame for replacing parts in the shifting system. However, all parts can wear out and have the potential to fail, and in a perfect situation, all the parts in the shifting system would last the life of the vehicle.

Symptoms that may indicate your shifter will fail include:

  • Shifter can be moved but has a lot of resistance
  • When shifting into a gear, drive or reverse, it feels difficult to find the right spot. The transmission ends up in neutral instead. You may notice that the engine will accelerate when stepping on the gas pedal but the car doesn’t move.
  • When starting the car with the key, the ignition cylinder feels loose and has play.
  • No brake lights in the vehicle, brake pedal switch could be faulty.
  • Shifter feels completely loose -- like it’s not connected to the transmission at all.

How a mechanic will inspect a car that won’t shift from park:

There are a number of reasons why a car will not move from park to drive. They can range from the shifter being locked to a broken shifter cable. Mechanics will check for these things:

  • Failed brake light switch

  • Bad shift interlock solenoid or wiring: The shift interlock solenoid is a safety feature that has been added to all modern automatic-transmission cars. It prevents the driver from shifting out of park without a foot on the brake.

  • Broken transmission shift cable: A cable connects the shifter handle to the transmission, and if that is broken, the shifter will be inoperable

  • Ignition key tumbler is worn out: The ignition switch not only starts your car, but it also locks the steering wheel when the key is taken out. In cars with automatic transmissions, a shift interlock solenoid is also part of the ignition system, and it locks the transmission so it cannot be shifted out of park (as described above).

  • Broken shifter mechanism: It is also possible that the shifter itself is broken. A mechanic will remove the center console to examine the actual shifter mechanism.

Is it safe to drive with this problem?

Since you can’t move the car without shifting from park to drive, it’s important to enlist the help of one of our mechanics as soon as possible to inspect and then repair the issue.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert BMW mechanics

Real customer reviews from BMW owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(6,607)

Rating Summary
6,159
203
60
44
141
6,159
203
60
44
141

Jonathan

35 years of experience
484 reviews
Jonathan
35 years of experience
BMW Z4 L6-3.0L Turbo - Car does not shift from park to drive - Tampa, Florida
Jonathon is very knowledge of BMW issues and repair. He was early for our appointment and answered all of my questions.

Matthew

11 years of experience
53 reviews
Matthew
11 years of experience
BMW 535i L6-3.0L Turbo - Car does not shift from park to drive - Los Angeles, California
Hi yes the guy was very punctual but nothing was fixed still don't know what's wrong with my car .

Raymond

36 years of experience
63 reviews
Raymond
36 years of experience
BMW 528i L6-2.8L - Car is overheating - Tacoma, Washington
Raymond was great but he could have done the work right then if you had answered your phone. Phone service is terrible. Now we have to wait until Saturday and I hope that appt went through

Jonathan

13 years of experience
51 reviews
Jonathan
13 years of experience
BMW 328i L6-3.0L - Ignition Coil - North Richland Hills, Texas
You was a real professional, had very engaging personality and seem to be expert on cars. I told him whenever using Your Mechanic he would be my first choice for the job. Just incredible work.... Thanks Jonathan for job well done.

Excellent Rating

(6,607)

Rating Summary
6,159
203
60
44
141
6,159
203
60
44
141
Number of BMW services completed
72677+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT BMW MECHANICS
1100+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How to Buy a Personalized License Plate in North Carolina
A A personalized license plate (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-find-out-which-license-plates-are-available-in-your-state-by-brady-klopfer) is one of the best ways to add flair and personality to your vehicle. With a personalized license plate, you can make your car uniquely you - by sharing a meaningful sentiment, supporting your...
P0374 OBD-II Trouble Code: Timing Reference High Resolution Signal A No Pulses
What What the P0374 code means The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) has discovered a problem in the high-resolution timing reference signal. What causes the P0374 code? There may be one or more causes for the P0374 code: A defective camshaft,...
Top 5 Reasons Automobile Handling is Important
Good car handling means a car’s suspension system is working properly and is important to safe and efficient driving.

My Check Engine Light came on 2 days after we replaced our battery

The Check Engine Light may or may not be related to the battery change on any late-model car like this one - even a simple operation like changing a battery is not so simple. There are a number of settings...

Ign sw fuse keeps blowing

Hello, thank you for writing in. You were right to look for a short in the system, but there are other causes for excess power in a system. The ignition switch itself pulls power from the charging system and the...

I have a 2004 dodge durango and I've lost power to my brake lights and the trunk won't open. Fuses are good and hazards work.

Hi there. In most cases these two issues are not related The brake light problem could be an electrical relay fault; as could the trunk release issue. The brake light problem could also be due to a damaged or faulty...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com