🚨 2001 Honda Odyssey: Emergency Neutral
The 2001 Odyssey (second-generation) features a floor-mounted console shifter with electronic shift lock interlock.
🧰 Drafted with AI under the editorial review of Chris Hackleman & Jeff Moore — cross-check against your owner’s manual when possible.
⚠️ Chock the wheels first — neutral means the car can roll. Set the parking brake while you work, never stand downhill of the vehicle, and try a 12-volt jump before any override: power fixes most stuck-in-park problems instantly.
The procedure
- Ensure the parking brake is engaged and wheels are chocked
- Turn the ignition key to the ON position (if battery has any charge remaining)
- Locate the shift lock override cover: it is a small rectangular plastic cap on the console to the right of the shifter lever base
- Use a flathead screwdriver or the ignition key to pry off the override cover cap
- Insert the screwdriver into the exposed override slot and press down firmly
- While holding the override down, press the shifter release button and move the lever from Park to Neutral
- The shifter can now move freely; leave in Neutral for towing or loading
Shift-lock override location
Small rectangular capped slot on the right side of the shifter base on the center console, approximately 1 inch from the shifter lever
With zero electrical power
With a completely dead battery, the electronic shift lock will remain engaged, but the mechanical override slot bypasses all electronics. No battery power is needed to use the override—it is a purely mechanical release that physically disengages the lock pin from the shifter mechanism.