I pulled into a parking spot and put my car into park, when I lifted my foot from the brake the car continues forward.

I pulled into a parking spot and put my car into park, when I lifted my foot from the brake the car continues forward. I immediately put my foot on the brake then I pulled the emergency brake. I turned the car off and tried to turn it back on, but now it won't turn over. Is this something that is easy to fix? Do I need to get my car towed?

My car has 85000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
The vehicle transmission did not get back to the park position due to the shift cable came off of the transmission shift linkage. You will need to have a mechanic like one from YourMechanic come to you and check the shift cable connection at the transmission to see if the shift cable bushing broke and let the cable end disengage from the shift linkage. The shift cable may need replaced if the cable end bushing is not available. I recommend a mechanic check the shift cable and replace cable or repair cable end as parts allow.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

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Due to the mechanic set up of your transmission system, it`s normal for your vehicle to move a few inches since the parking pawl in your transmission system is engaging your output shaft. Therefore, when your vehicle is in the park, the parking pawl will wing towards the output shaft, triggering the roll.
It`s perfectly normal for your automatic transmission vehicle to move an inch or two after shifting it to park, such mechanical play is common even for modern cars. But if your vehicle rolls more than a few inches in Park position, it might be a sign that your transmission is faulty.
Think Again! Placing the gear in “Park” engages the “Parking Pawl”, which is a small metal piece that locks the output shaft of the transmission. If your parked car is struck without the handbrake engaged the parking pawl could break.
The parking pawl locks the transmission`s output shaft to the transmission casing by engaging a pawl (a pin) that engages in a notched wheel on the shaft, stopping it (and thus the driven wheels) from rotating.
Explanation: If you find that your vehicle bounces as you drive around a corner or bend in the road, the shock absorbers might be worn. To test your shock absorbers, sharply press down and release above each wheel. If the vehicle continues to bounce, take it to be checked by a qualified mechanic.
This kind of reaction is often a sign of low transmission fluid or a faulty transmission control solenoid. As you know, automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears.
When you put an automatic transmission into park, the parking pawl will swing towards the output shaft, and those few inches of roll or “lurch” that you experience are caused by the small amount of space left over once the pawl is engaged.
1 What if I`m in an automatic car? As automatic cars generally have a simple `drive` mode rather than a range of gears, putting them into gear isn`t an option. In such instances, the Highway Code advises putting the car into `park`. Simple!
If you don`t use the handbrake, you`ll be putting constant pressure on the parking pawl and transmission components which will eventually fail, leading to costly repairs.
When you try to move the gear shift into the P position, the transmission may make a ratcheting noise. Not only will the noise be unbearable, but it`s very possible the pawl will break which would require a very expensive repair.
Transmission fluid level is typically checked with the engine running at normal operating temperature. You may not get an accurate reading if the transmission fluid is cold. The vehicle should be in a specific gear (usually PARK or NEUTRAL) and on a stable, level surface.
Explanation: Your vehicle will use less fuel if you avoid heavy acceleration. The higher the engine revs, the more fuel you`ll use. Using the same gear, and covering the same distance, a vehicle travelling at 70 mph will use about 15% more fuel than it would at 50 mph.
The “bounce test” requires some effort. Go to one corner of the car and push down. When you let go, the car should bounce up, then settle back to at-rest height. If the car bounces more than twice, you most likely need new shocks.
Any unusual shaking or vibrating forces coming from the engine is cause for concern. It could be something as simple as old spark plugs producing an uneven power delivery, it could be something serious like worn or broken engine mounts, or it could be even more serious in the case of internal engine damage.
A Worn Tire or Bent Wheel Hub may cause your car to sway from side to side. A Tire Balance or Wheel Alignment may be required or if your Tires are worn, it may be time for a replacement. Other reasons What Makes a Car Sway are Faulty Struts or Worn Shocks.
If the brake rotors are out of balance or warped, the vehicle can jerk to a stop or rapidly vibrate depending on your driving conditions. If the brake pads are worn or filled with dirt and debris, the area of the rotor under the brake pads can collect these substances, causing the car to pulsate when braking.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

I pulled into a parking spot and put my car into park, when I lifted my foot from the brake the car continues forward.
ANSWER : The vehicle transmission did not get back to the park position due to the shift cable came off of the transmission shift linkage. You will need to have a mechanic like one from YourMechanic come to you and check the shift cable connection at the transmission to see if the shift cable bushing broke and let the cable end disengage from the shift linkage. The shift cable may need replaced if the cable end bushing is not available. I recommend a mechanic check the shift cable and replace cable or repair cable end as parts allow.

I have a 2012 ford fusion sel that says park brakes engaged. But I never lifted the park brakes
ANSWER : Hi there. Is the parking brake engaged? Does the vehicle move freely if the parking brake is disengaged? If the vehicle moves freely with the parking brake off and the warning continues then it sounds like there could be a fault in the parking brake switch circuit. This could be a fault with the switch itself, internally or physically, or a wire harness concern. Short of acquiring a digital volt ohm meter (digital meter) and disassembling your console where the parking brake handle is located, an appropriate scan tool may show you data for the switch to see if it is sending an on/off signal and may assist with diagnosis. The switch either provides a ground when engaged or no ground when not engaged; engaged will turn on the parking brake warning. I suggest having a qualified technician perform an inspection to avoid replacing unnecessary parts.

When I put my foot on the brake my back left brake light goes off, when I take it off the brake the brake light comes on
ANSWER : I would suggest trying to disconnect and reconnect the wiring to the rear lights. I have seen these older Toyota vehicles rear lighting short out on the lights themselves due to the way the light circuit was made on the lamp housing. Look at the housing circuit on the light to see if one is touching another, and that could tell you why it is malfunctioning. There could also be a problem with the brake light switch. If you are not comfortable dealing with wires, I recommend getting in touch with a certified mechanic who can look at your brake light issue for you to see what’s going on.

My Car drives forward not backwards. In N and R rolles forward, but will not roll back. Have to lift front to move the car beck.
ANSWER : Hi there. Make sure the vehicle is on level ground with the engine warmed up when checking transmission fluid. Check the fluid for color, smell, and contamination as these could be telltale signs of what is occurring inside the transmission. It does sound like there is a shift solenoid that is not activating; this could be the 1-2 shift solenoid or the low/reverse solenoid depending on how many are in your particular transmission. These are simply valves that control the flow of hydraulic fluid used by the transmission control computer to determine the gear selection for the transmission. These solenoids can be manually activated in the same way you have described by selecting D1, D2, and so on. Since there was no change in the transmission operation when you selected D1, this could be a solenoid or electrical circuit fault. The solenoid could be mechanically broken/stuck or there could be an open circuit in the solenoid or the electrical circuit itself. Properly testing this system and components should be performed by a qualified technician and I strongly urge you utilize one for this inspection to avoid replacing unnecessary parts. Your Mechanic has several available technicians that can assist you with a car does not move inspection [https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/car-does-not-move-when-i-step-on-the-gas-pedal-inspection].

EPC light on 2004 Jetta. Code said brake switch faulty, but brakes lights worked. Replaced brake switch, now no brake lights.
ANSWER : Hi there. The first thing that pops in my mind beyond of what you have listed is perhaps the electrical harness attached to the brake switch. Perhaps the harness itself is damaged or you have an exposed wire, loose ground wire somewhere. You might want to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location and complete a brake lights not working inspection to help you diagnose this issue.

I filled my car up with gas, drove about a block to get a newspaper, put it in park and it died before i ever got out of the car .
ANSWER : With a car that cranks but won’t start, there are a few things that need to be checked. But before I explain them, there is a common thing that happens with Nissan’s. Every once in awhile they will flood the cylinders with fuel and wash the oil film off the cylinder walls and rings. This will reduce compression enough that the car will not start. Fortunately, there is an easy fix for this problem. It is what is known as clear flooding.

Hold the gas pedal all the way to the floor while cranking the motor. It won’t start immediately and when it does it will not run very well at first. Feather the throttle to keep it running until the motor clears out the excess fuel and the motor begins to run smoothly. If after cranking the motor with the gas pedal held to the floor for at least

Car revved & lurched over curb while foot was on brake
ANSWER : Hello there, issues like this are very uncommon. When the vehicle does not stop like this it obviously makes the vehicle unsafe to drive and is a cause for concern. The most likely causes of this would be something obstructing the gas pedal, transmission fault, faulty brakes, or a throttle issue. I’d recommend seeking assistance from a qualified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, who can perform checks on all of these components to diagnose the issue. Once the issue is evident, an accurate repair can be made to your vehicle.

Supportive bar attached to brake pedal interrupts proper braking process
ANSWER : It’s possible to have someone alter the brake pedal or adapt a brake pedal from a different vehicle. You may call around to some customization shops to see if anyone is interested in taking on the project. But first, I would try reaching out to the selling dealer with your concern – especially since it is a new model. Good luck.