Modern vehicles have electronic ignitions; most of them also have electronic shift lock, often included as a safety or anti-theft feature. This presents a problem if your battery is dead; without power, the electronic shift lock cannot disengage with the key in the ignition. All vehicles with electronic shift lock have a manual override, allowing you to bypass the feature in emergencies.
Set your parking brake for safety. Some vehicles use a handbrake next to your gear selector; others use a pedal brake, which is usually to the left of your brake pedal.
Locate and engage the shift lock override. Vehicles with electronic shift lock have manual overrides. Look for a tiny, removable panel on your shift selector. Pry this panel up with a flathead screwdriver. Insert the screwdriver into the hole to engage the manual shift lock override.
Insert your key into the ignition; turn it to the "On" or "Acc" position.
Depress the brake pedal completely. Move the shift selector to neutral.
