🚨 2020 Kia Stinger: Emergency Neutral
The 2020 Stinger uses a traditional console-mounted automatic transmission shifter lever with a button on the side for shift lock release.
🧰 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 vehicle is on a level surface and apply the parking brake
- Locate the shift lock override button - it is a small rectangular button on the right side of the shifter base, just below where the leather boot meets the shifter housing
- If there is a small plastic cover over the button, carefully pry it off with your fingernail or a plastic trim tool
- Press and hold the shift lock override button firmly
- While holding the button, move the shifter from Park to Neutral (you do not need to press the side shifter button)
- Release the override button once the shifter is in Neutral position
- Verify the shifter is in Neutral by attempting to roll the vehicle slightly (with brake released and someone controlling the vehicle)
- The vehicle is now ready to be pushed or loaded onto a flatbed
Shift-lock override location
Small rectangular button on the right side of the shifter base, just below the leather boot, may have a small plastic cover
With zero electrical power
The mechanical shift lock override works without any electrical power. Simply press the override button and move the shifter - no battery power or ignition needed. This is a mechanical bypass of the electronic shift lock solenoid.