Did the quick fix. Did the trick. A mechanic would have charged me a bunch plus no use of my car. GM should be ashamed of their quality. Such a cheap part but a big problem. Thanks a million!!!
Good luck. If you haven't read my other comments, I have found that if you squeeze the shifter release button 2 or 3 times rapidly, even before taking anything apart, the problem will go away for several days or weeks. Mine is a company car and it now has 90,000 miles and never fully failed to where this trick won't work. I just made the video in case people were curious where the switch was located. Also I made this because my dealer told me I needed a new shifter handle which was wrong.
Thank you! If you haven't read around on some of my comments, after I made this video I realized that you can save tearing apart your console like this by just leaving it in park while you see the message and flicking or quickly squeezing and releasing the release button on the shifter handle multiple times until the message clears. It makes the switch that is shown in the video get bumped repeatedly which cleans its contacts of any carbon build-up. I now have 150,000 miles and have never replaced my switch! When I made this video I didn't realize it would last this long so I took all this apart to get the switch's part number just in case. Have a good one!
I have two additional recommendations. The metal flat piece on the switch, while it's still installed, bend it down just slightly. To do this you will have to push the shifter lever down, and then you can slightly bend that flat metal piece down towards the floor, which will increase the leverage on the switch itself when you release the shifter rod back up. Now another thing you can do is find a piece of rubber hose, that is slightly smaller than the shifter lever rod that pushes the switch, and cut a snip off the end of the hose, and stick that over the shifter rod that pushes on the switch. This again will create additional leverage pushing up on the switch. If you do both of these, I guarantee you it will fix it. But bending the metal flat plate on the switch down just a little, is usually plenty to create the additional leverage needed.
...you might be on to something... My alarm only pops up once every 3-6 months and once I flick the release lever 4-5 times, the message clears for another several months. I now have 170,000 miles and have never replaced or modified the switch. I also have bad switches in the gear shift lever for the manual shifter + / - buttons. Chevy must not have installed any moisture or dust resistant switches in that console.
thanks for this detailed solution ... i have traverse 2018 and facing this issue. i was looking for this solution. I remember having seen a video also advising same but couldn't find it again. Some suggest to short the 2 wires of that nasty switch. But am afraid it might create some other issue.
Yes, I am no Chevy expert but I would assume that, if you short the wires together, then it would think your car was in park all the time and would confuse other functions
Great video showing how to remove the center console cover to get to everything. But no longer the correct tsb. Now they have a new harness piece to add that corrects the issue. See TSB #19-NA-206 for the latest replacement parts. There is an additional pigtail harness to add and if needed there is a part number for that switch harness for in the shifter. No need to replace the entire shifter any longer.
Great video. Helped me figure out how to fix my gf’s car. The only thing I noticed right away on the video was that the wires were soldered to the switch. So I had to buy a soldering gun with tin. Could help others get all their tools together before starting the job.
Thanks Max, I'm glad the video helped. The funny thing is, I didn't plant on filming. I tore my console apart and put it back together but (as usual) noticed some parts I forgot to put back in place! So, since I had to start all over and take it apart again, I thought I would film it for myself in case I ever had to do it again. I put it on RUclips just in case it would help others and had no idea how many people would have seen this (87,000 as of this writing!). At the time I made this, I was only trying to show people where the problem "lies". Thanks for adding the tip to be prepared to solder the switch if someone chooses to get a new one.
There is a switch replacement now. TSB #19-NA-206. Great instructions removing the boot, knob, and console/cup cover, but.. *do not twist the knob. "Slight wiggle" maybe, but do not twist.
Thanks for the video. Was going to short the wires at the connector like another video showed but the passenger panel on the traverse wasn't budging for me. Plus I thought probably better to replace the switch then I found your video and seems easier to remove the top on the console. The realer replaced the shifter on my 2019 when it was about a year old and no it's acting up again. How can this not be a recall item?
I hope you've poked around and read my other comments, but briefly here I'll tell you that I have 180,000 miles on my 2018 and I have not yet replaced the switch. Each time I get the message I just flick the gear lever handle release switch 4-5 times and it clears for another 2-3 months or sometimes more before it does it again. I made this video and posted it thinking the problem was going to have to be repaired $$$ but I hope to make a short video on this quick fix the next time I see the message to hopefully save someone from tearing all this apart or paying the dealer to do it since it seems the problem will just come back anyway. I'm beginning to wonder if the problem isn't the switch getting "dirty" but instead it may be a computer problem. A couple times a year, my dash screen pops up several messages that say "Stabilitrack", "Steering Assist", and "Lane Assist" all need serviced. Then, after 2-3 restarts later that day, all the messages are gone. This has been going on since very early mileage but since it always cleared, I figured that the dealer would never find anything. I have a feeling that this "Shift to Park" error is a computer issue and not a bad switch.
Glad it helped! Interesting thing about this video; I took it all apart without videoing but noticed I forgot an item when I put it back together. So I had to tear it all apart again. Then I thought, I should film this and post it, never expecting much. ...now here we are, 58,000 views later... This problem must be irritating a lot of Chevy owners!
We have this same issue now and are about to trade in the vehicle. This is unacceptable. This should not be a problem with vehicles. I certainly don't want to be stranded somewhere or in an accident because of this.
You can short (connect) the blue and black wire on the shifter switch together. The car is looking for that short when the car is in PARK. This does not disturb and other normal functions of the vehicle. You may get a Brake light but it will reset. Just tried this on our 2019.
Thanks a lot for this! Very easy to remove following these steps. The "quick fix" didn't work for me (probably because I'd been doing something similar over 6 months), but I bought a replacement switch for less than $4 and replaced it. Seems to be good as new. I did have a "check parking break" service light on after replacing the console, but engaging and disengaging the parking break cleared it up.
@@jonathangray3243 If you cannot find the switch, just short the blue and black wire on the switch. The car is looking for that short when it’s in PARK.
REPAIR NOT A BYPASS! PROBLEM: From my searches about the same problem, I believe I have discovered the real issue going on here. The switch itself is well made internally, the travel on the spring tab of the switch surpasses needs to activate and the activator rod of the shift lever also surpasses necessary travel limits. I manually triggered the switch dozens of times and in slow motion and quickly, same result, it worked fine. I reinstalled the switch and shift handle on the removed shift mechanism trying again to find a failure point. AH-HA moment arrived, the spring tab is where the problem lies but you have to look at the other end where it attaches to the switch. When installed and everything is in it's normal position, the spring tab is 'pivoting' the pressure to the rear of the switch causing the tab to pull slightly out of it's socket. REPAIR PROCEDURE: With the switch removed, gently pull down on the spring tab at the rear of the switch, it will easily slip right out. The manufacturer relies on simple friction to retain the spring tab. You can see there are only 'pressure' type retaining tabs on the metal end that fits in the switch 'socket'. For the FIX to this, using a end cutter or a side cutter, make the factory tabs 'loose' on the end farthest away from the inserted end so they can 'dig in' to help retain the spring tab. Next, make two 'nips' on the very end of the inserted end so that you have three sections to that end. Be careful not to cut through it or expand it too wide while doing this. Next, reinsert the spring tab (it will e a tight fit, the tighter, the better) back into the switch housing. Make certain that you are inserted all the way to the indexing tabs. Reinstall the switch in the shift mechanism, making sure the activating lever is below the spring tab and test to make sure the activating lever and spring tab allow the switch to move it's full range. If it isn't able to make full range, just bend the spring tab accordingly. No more problems! REPAIR TIME: 30 minutes COST: Free!
Good luck. If you haven't read my other comments, I have found that if you squeeze the shifter release button 2 or 3 times rapidly the problem will go away for several days or weeks. Mine is a company car and it now has 90,000 miles and never fully failed to where this trick won't work. I just made the video in case people were curious where the switch was located. Also I made this because my dealer told me I needed a new shifter handle which was wrong.
Jumper the black & blue wire of that small shifter switch. The computer is looking for that short when the car is in park. It works and we plan to make a video on it soon.
lts actually called an omron switch. Costs about 4 bucks from digi-key part #D2HW-BL221H and its an upgraded part just soddered the two wires back together easy fix takes about 5 mins.
Yes this seems to work equally as well on my Traverse. I should have said something to that effect in the video but failed to. Thanks for your comment!
@@milisalderete9287 The same button that you squeeze to get the shift lever out of park. Just flick it by letting it slip off your finger a few times and normally this will clear the shift to park warning. After a couple times of needing to do this, the message won't come back for a few weeks or months. Somehow it cleans the contacts by having it smack together a few times.
OMRON LIMIT SWITCH. Costs about 4 bucks from digi-key, part #D2HW-BL221H and its an upgraded part just solder the two wires back together easy fix takes about 5 mins. This is from someones else post below. koodos to them!!!!
This exactly what I did to fix the problem. I bent the metal tab on the switch at first and that fixed it for about a year. I then I had to replace the entire switch.
Yes but even easier than that.... When I made this video I didn't realize that you can also get away with just rapidly squeezing or flicking and releasing the trigger button on the front side of the shifter about 4 to 6 times anytime the message appears. This usually cleans the contacts for me good enough to last another 6 weeks or more. I have never replaced the switch and I now have 165,000 miles. Best wishes and good luck, hopefully this will work for you too!
Glad this helped. Over time I have found that you can even get away with just rapidly squeezing the button that you squeeze to get the shifter out of park. I have to do this a few quick squeezes and releases about every 2 months when the problem returns. It then clears up for several weeks. That's a lot easier than taking out the shifter handle all together. When I made this video I figured it was going to eventually fail for good but at 90,000 mile this trick still works.
It would be interesting to know how long a new switch lasts. I wonder if moisture gets into these and it may not last any longer than the original? So far I have been able to have success in just rapidly squeezing and releasing the button on the gear shift handle whenever I get the message. It then goes away for several weeks. If the new switch doesn't come with wires pre-attached, take care when soldering on new ones that you don't overheat it and ruin the switch.
First of all thank you for the video. Wife was having a meltdown. It’s a 2019 traverse. I just have one question. If she can’t get it to register park and leaves it will it run the battery down?
Depending upon your mileage and vehicle age I guess... However, it seems that it will just come back again even with a new switch. It is an unfortunate thing to live with in this Chevy product line. In this video I just wanted to show where the switch was located for curiosity. It turns out that if you just flick the button that takes the shifter out of park or squeeze and release it quickly whenever you get the warning that the problem will go away for a few weeks or months. Somehow this cleans the internal contacts on the switch shown in the video.
Hi Waqas. I have never replaced my switch. If you haven't had the chance to read my other comments and replies to others on here, I just flick the shifter button several times while in park and my message goes away for several thousand miles. Before disassembly, you might try that for a while to see if that gets you by. I now have 140,000 miles and I have never replaced this switch. I just made this video to show where it was located in case someone was interested. I believe that moisture, dust, and perhaps carbon build-up from voltage arcs, dirty up the switch (which is common in switches that aren't sealed or protected from voltage arcs). Chevy has a harness that is supposed to absorb the arcs which is noted in my notes under the RUclips title above. I have read other commenters trials at replacing this switch and they have reported success but I've not heard if their new switch is any better quality making it last longer or not.
Using this video, and accessing the OEM switch , and having a lot of experience with micro switches, .... I would say that this is a very light duty switch that is subject to arching and thus causing the contacts to degrade. I believe GM has an adapter harness available that will reduce the voltage surge to try to correct this ... I have not been able to locate that part number. It is in a tech bulletin but without a part #. I ordered a couple of switches from Digikey. Right now after clicking on and off 30 or so times, it is working but I know this won't last .. The shifting unit should have been designed with a much more heavy duty switch . My plan is to replace just the switch as it is much less expensive and requires less labor than replacing the entire shift assembly. I figure this will be an ongoing repair every 20-30 K miles ..
Great comments and I would agree. In my line of work we use relays and their contacts can either go bad or the arching can cause noise that disrupts other electronics. We use varisters, diodes, or Quencharchs (resistor/capacitor circuit) to reduce these problems. Maybe this is what their adapter harness contains.
How much $ would a shop charge to get this fixed? I have the same problem at 24,000 miles and I plan to take it to the dealers or shop but I want to make sure I don’t get overcharged
I do not know what the charge would be but I would suggest you print off the second file that is linked in this video's bio and show the dealer. That way they'll know the new special harness they need to order and it'll make you look smart too! I've read comments that others have had to make a couple visits to their dealer before they solved the problem. Having it taken care of in one trip will cut down on labor costs. Otherwise, I have had good luck just squeezing and releasing the shift lock button on the shifter while in park a couple times each time I get the message. It will go away for a few weeks before returning and I now have nearly 100,000 miles without ever having the repair done.
I have a 2018 Acadia which is on the same vehicle platform as Traverse. The shifter boot and handle came off. I was able to pry the rear edge by the arm rest as you did, and the back and sides popped. But the front is caught on something. I have heated/cooled seat buttons in the front area. I don’t have wireless charging pad. Above and behind the pad I have 2 USB ports and a 12V. Were there two clips at the very front?? Thank you.
Sorry to hear you have had troubles getting it apart. It went pretty smooth for me so I don't know what it would be caught on. Since this video was made, my shift to park warning has returned several times. It seems there is no reason to take all of this apart because with even a new switch it will eventually fail. What seems to work best is to just flick the button that takes the shifter out of park or squeeze and release it rapidly to clear the alarm. It may come back a time or two more over the next day or so. After clearing the alarm like this a few times, the warning will go away for several weeks or months. Somehow this cleans the internal contacts of this switch for a while.
Sorry, I never removed the part. This video is just to show where the switch is located. I still have success just rapidly squeezing and releasing the shifter button while in park any time it displays the error. Then it'll last for several weeks without failing again. I now have a little over 100,000 miles on my 2018.
Good, I hope you are doing well. I would not remove the switch! If you remove the switch then I believe your car will ding continuously and say Shift to Park on the dash. Typically I rapidly squeeze and release the button on the shifter handle 5-6 times any time I see the message and it will clear up for a few weeks before the message comes back again.
As per anothers post below: lts actually called an omron switch. Costs about 4 bucks from digi-key part #D2HW-BL221H and its an upgraded part just soddered the two wires back together easy fix takes about 5 mins.
I just bought a 2018 Traverse LT this January 2021. I've had the vehicle for almost 2 months. Today I got shift to park message 2x. I'm not a happy camper
It is frustrating but surprisingly it will clear if you flick the button that takes the car out of park a few times when you get the warning. No need to take the console apart, just let let the button slip off your finger or squeeze and release rapidly. Then, after a couple of times parking and doing this flicking, it won't come back for weeks or months. Somehow it cleans the contacts of that switch shown in the video by having its internal contacts smacked together.
@@danielmchaney The one near me did some other work on my vehicle and when I left, the check engine light was on. I turned around and took it back. They told me it would cost $98 to diagnose it! It's how they've structured the technician's pay. The techs now either make or lose money based on their performance. If they take longer than the "book" says it will take for the repair then they loose money. They make money by doing simple services that are faster than the book's suggested time. This problem is across the board at all dealerships. My son had the same experience at a Mopar dealer. The factory's have turned each tech into a self-supporting individual company rather than being an employee. This is a bad system for the consumer. The factory's need to pay them a salary with bonuses for doing good work; that way the deep pockets of the factory's can cover when things don't go by the books. ... alright, I could go on but, I'll jump off my soapbox now...
If all you have to do is all that flicking, I don’t understand why you have to take apart the whole console, instead of just removing the shift knob, unless you were just wanting to demonstrate WHERE the issue was and explain WHY.
Honestly, I took it all apart, put it all together and forgot a part! I thought I might as well video taking it back apart again and having a copy for myself. You are correct, then I figured others would like to know where and why so I posted this (even though I am not typically a vlogger) in case might help someone else. I didn't realize until several months later that flicking the button would virtually solve the problem for an extended period of time. By then, this video was getting hits and seeming to help those who wanted to do a complete repair. I don't know how to amend it explaining the flicking option so here we are still watching me tear this whole dang thing apart. 😀
My dad's 2019 equinox has the same shift to park message on the screen and shifter is also stuck in park. Will a new shifter also remedy the stuck in park shifter issue?
I'm sorry I don't know that one. Just fellow Chevy owner but not a mechanic. However, knowing that there's not much to the actual shifter lever, I would guess that the lever isn't the hold-up but something more in the transmission or linkage on its way to the transmission.
Hi Chara. Yes, I would recommend disconnecting your battery. Depending upon your Traverse's options, you may have other pushbutton switches in your shifter console and any one of them could get shorted out while disassembling. If you haven't read my other comments on here, I just flick the shifter button several times while in park and my message goes away for several thousand miles. Before disassembly, you might try that for a while to see if that gets you by. I now have 140,000 miles and I have never replaced this switch. I just made this video to show where it was located in case someone was interested. Best wishes and take care!
I read somewhere where there was a service bulletin issued for this. I called my dealer and they said (suprise) They had no record of a service bulletin. I also read somewhere where this is covered under the 5 year service train warranty. Can anybody verify? Thanks.
Update , you think the newer vehicle models Chevy would learn to fix this problem . I have 2022 Chevy trailblazer and it’s driving me insane the car has 26k miles on it . Dealer replaced the part once and couple weeks it started again . Been waiting for the new part to come in . This is pathetic
Ray, see my written comments above for the part number. Also note that most owners are noting that if you just flick the lever on the shifter 2-3 times when you get the message, it will typically go away and the switch won't bother you for a few days. Yep it's a pain, but at least you can leave your car and the warning chime will quit until you can get it repaired.
If you are going to go to all this trouble you need to replace the switch and don't have to replace whole shifter. Switch part # D2HW-BL221H MFG BY OMRON. Available at DIGiKEY.COM for $3.42. Just requires soldering it in.
Mine "fails" about every 6 weeks but I have always been able to make the alarm go away by flicking the button on the shifter multiple times which seems the clean the contacts on the switch. I made this video to show where the micro-switch is located since some people just want to replace it rather than the work-around that I just described. If you take it to a dealer, they are supposed to replace the switch and put in an electronic surge absorber to try and help the contacts last longer. Information on that from Chevy is in the description under the video. PS: I'm no expert, just a Chevy Traverse owner and thought I'd share my experience.
@@greenmach Yes , you can squeeze the trigger over and over until the orange power light on the start switch goes off.... I have done this for two months, my issue is.. I also own a chevy sonic and have had to replace the trigger mechanisms twice, so from my experiences abusing the trigger may result in replacing that as well...
You can save wear and tear on your transmission mechanisms by just leaving it in park while you see the message and flicking or quickly squeezing and releasing the release button on the shifter handle. It makes the switch that is shown in the video get bumped repeatedly which cleans its contacts of any carbon build-up. I now have 150,000 miles and have never replaced my switch. When I made this video I didn't realize it would last this long so I took all this apart to get the switch's part number just in case.
WAIT, So can you just replace that dinky little mechanical switch for $10...you said change the whole mechanism assembly, which would likely be a $500 part and a b!tch of a job.
Even better, since I made this video, I have found that you really don't have to do anything with any parts. If you get the message on the dash to shift to park, you can just flick, (or quickly squeeze and release) the gearshift lever's lock lever multiple times and the message will go away for several weeks or even months before it returns. I now have 120,000 miles and have never replaced this switch.
2018 Chevy Traverse, 3.6L V6. Silver on the outside, black on the inside. ...hope that helps ;) Joking asside, I made this video for myself but forgot to mark it private. It started getting traction from others having the same troubles (and nice complements for the help) so I left it set as a public video. I am in no way a professional vlogger, as you can tell, so I apologize for the missing details.
Did the quick fix. Did the trick. A mechanic would have charged me a bunch plus no use of my car.
GM should be ashamed of their quality. Such a cheap part but a big problem. Thanks a million!!!
Glad I could help. Us Nelsons (my middle name) have to stick together. Stay safe my friend!
Can you tell me how you got the plastic cover over the metal piece that needs bending to lift up?
I am currently dealing with this same issue for my 2019 traverse with only 27,000 miles. Thank you for this video!!
Good luck. If you haven't read my other comments, I have found that if you squeeze the shifter release button 2 or 3 times rapidly, even before taking anything apart, the problem will go away for several days or weeks. Mine is a company car and it now has 90,000 miles and never fully failed to where this trick won't work. I just made the video in case people were curious where the switch was located. Also I made this because my dealer told me I needed a new shifter handle which was wrong.
@@greenmach by handle you mean the trigger button ? I bought the assembly , mine is an 18 with 33k. Thanks for this video it helps tremendously.
Thank you for your help. This information was exactly what I needed. Take care!
Thank you! If you haven't read around on some of my comments, after I made this video I realized that you can save tearing apart your console like this by just leaving it in park while you see the message and flicking or quickly squeezing and releasing the release button on the shifter handle multiple times until the message clears. It makes the switch that is shown in the video get bumped repeatedly which cleans its contacts of any carbon build-up. I now have 150,000 miles and have never replaced my switch! When I made this video I didn't realize it would last this long so I took all this apart to get the switch's part number just in case. Have a good one!
I have two additional recommendations. The metal flat piece on the switch, while it's still installed, bend it down just slightly. To do this you will have to push the shifter lever down, and then you can slightly bend that flat metal piece down towards the floor, which will increase the leverage on the switch itself when you release the shifter rod back up. Now another thing you can do is find a piece of rubber hose, that is slightly smaller than the shifter lever rod that pushes the switch, and cut a snip off the end of the hose, and stick that over the shifter rod that pushes on the switch. This again will create additional leverage pushing up on the switch. If you do both of these, I guarantee you it will fix it. But bending the metal flat plate on the switch down just a little, is usually plenty to create the additional leverage needed.
...you might be on to something... My alarm only pops up once every 3-6 months and once I flick the release lever 4-5 times, the message clears for another several months. I now have 170,000 miles and have never replaced or modified the switch. I also have bad switches in the gear shift lever for the manual shifter + / - buttons. Chevy must not have installed any moisture or dust resistant switches in that console.
thanks for this detailed solution ... i have traverse 2018 and facing this issue. i was looking for this solution. I remember having seen a video also advising same but couldn't find it again.
Some suggest to short the 2 wires of that nasty switch. But am afraid it might create some other issue.
Yes, I am no Chevy expert but I would assume that, if you short the wires together, then it would think your car was in park all the time and would confuse other functions
Great video showing how to remove the center console cover to get to everything. But no longer the correct tsb. Now they have a new harness piece to add that corrects the issue. See TSB #19-NA-206 for the latest replacement parts. There is an additional pigtail harness to add and if needed there is a part number for that switch harness for in the shifter. No need to replace the entire shifter any longer.
Great, thanks for the update!
Where do I get the replacement part from ? Thank you
this isn't for all the vehicles. I have a 2020 Malibu and this is not a option for my vehicle.
Your timing is perfect. I will be working on this tomorrow. Thanks so much.
Did it work?!
I haven’t done it yet. Hasn’t happened in awhile but who’s is pirfect for when this time comes. Thanks agin.
There needs to be a recall on this
Thank you for this video. I was able to fix my wife's traverse without a trip to the dealership! Cost me 5 bucks and a little time!
Did you replace the switch?
I also have this issue now with my 2018 Chevery Traverse. It has 33,000 miles on it. Excited to try the trick mentioned in the comments.
Same here 16,000 miles on mine and having this issue
@@melsantichaparro4634 My local dealer fixed it for free.
Great video. Helped me figure out how to fix my gf’s car.
The only thing I noticed right away on the video was that the wires were soldered to the switch. So I had to buy a soldering gun with tin.
Could help others get all their tools together before starting the job.
Thanks Max, I'm glad the video helped. The funny thing is, I didn't plant on filming. I tore my console apart and put it back together but (as usual) noticed some parts I forgot to put back in place! So, since I had to start all over and take it apart again, I thought I would film it for myself in case I ever had to do it again. I put it on RUclips just in case it would help others and had no idea how many people would have seen this (87,000 as of this writing!). At the time I made this, I was only trying to show people where the problem "lies". Thanks for adding the tip to be prepared to solder the switch if someone chooses to get a new one.
There is a switch replacement now. TSB #19-NA-206. Great instructions removing the boot, knob, and console/cup cover, but.. *do not twist the knob. "Slight wiggle" maybe, but do not twist.
Great video, having same issue with my wives 2019 Chevy Traverse, thanks so much!
I`m having this issue as well, Thank you for this video.
Thank you for this short yet detailed video. Really helpful
Thanks for the video. Was going to short the wires at the connector like another video showed but the passenger panel on the traverse wasn't budging for me. Plus I thought probably better to replace the switch then I found your video and seems easier to remove the top on the console. The realer replaced the shifter on my 2019 when it was about a year old and no it's acting up again. How can this not be a recall item?
I hope you've poked around and read my other comments, but briefly here I'll tell you that I have 180,000 miles on my 2018 and I have not yet replaced the switch. Each time I get the message I just flick the gear lever handle release switch 4-5 times and it clears for another 2-3 months or sometimes more before it does it again. I made this video and posted it thinking the problem was going to have to be repaired $$$ but I hope to make a short video on this quick fix the next time I see the message to hopefully save someone from tearing all this apart or paying the dealer to do it since it seems the problem will just come back anyway. I'm beginning to wonder if the problem isn't the switch getting "dirty" but instead it may be a computer problem. A couple times a year, my dash screen pops up several messages that say "Stabilitrack", "Steering Assist", and "Lane Assist" all need serviced. Then, after 2-3 restarts later that day, all the messages are gone. This has been going on since very early mileage but since it always cleared, I figured that the dealer would never find anything. I have a feeling that this "Shift to Park" error is a computer issue and not a bad switch.
Just ran into this problem.....excellent video. Did as you suggested and it did the trick!!!!! Thank you Sir
Glad it helped! Interesting thing about this video; I took it all apart without videoing but noticed I forgot an item when I put it back together. So I had to tear it all apart again. Then I thought, I should film this and post it, never expecting much. ...now here we are, 58,000 views later... This problem must be irritating a lot of Chevy owners!
We have this same issue now and are about to trade in the vehicle. This is unacceptable. This should not be a problem with vehicles. I certainly don't want to be stranded somewhere or in an accident because of this.
You can short (connect) the blue and black wire on the shifter switch together. The car is looking for that short when the car is in PARK. This does not disturb and other normal functions of the vehicle. You may get a Brake light but it will reset. Just tried this on our 2019.
What do you mean short connect the wire
Basically, you would be bypassing the sensor that is giving you issues.
Thanks a lot for this! Very easy to remove following these steps. The "quick fix" didn't work for me (probably because I'd been doing something similar over 6 months), but I bought a replacement switch for less than $4 and replaced it. Seems to be good as new. I did have a "check parking break" service light on after replacing the console, but engaging and disengaging the parking break cleared it up.
Where did you get switch
@@jonathangray3243
If you cannot find the switch, just short the blue and black wire on the switch. The car is looking for that short when it’s in PARK.
How do I put my chevrolet traverse 2009 into neutral if the battery of my car is dead? i need help please!
This was very informative. Thank you!
REPAIR NOT A BYPASS!
PROBLEM:
From my searches about the same problem, I believe I have discovered the real issue going on here. The switch itself is well made internally, the travel on the spring tab of the switch surpasses needs to activate and the activator rod of the shift lever also surpasses necessary travel limits. I manually triggered the switch dozens of times and in slow motion and quickly, same result, it worked fine. I reinstalled the switch and shift handle on the removed shift mechanism trying again to find a failure point. AH-HA moment arrived, the spring tab is where the problem lies but you have to look at the other end where it attaches to the switch. When installed and everything is in it's normal position, the spring tab is 'pivoting' the pressure to the rear of the switch causing the tab to pull slightly out of it's socket.
REPAIR PROCEDURE:
With the switch removed, gently pull down on the spring tab at the rear of the switch, it will easily slip right out. The manufacturer relies on simple friction to retain the spring tab. You can see there are only 'pressure' type retaining tabs on the metal end that fits in the switch 'socket'. For the FIX to this, using a end cutter or a side cutter, make the factory tabs 'loose' on the end farthest away from the inserted end so they can 'dig in' to help retain the spring tab. Next, make two 'nips' on the very end of the inserted end so that you have three sections to that end. Be careful not to cut through it or expand it too wide while doing this. Next, reinsert the spring tab (it will e a tight fit, the tighter, the better) back into the switch housing. Make certain that you are inserted all the way to the indexing tabs. Reinstall the switch in the shift mechanism, making sure the activating lever is below the spring tab and test to make sure the activating lever and spring tab allow the switch to move it's full range. If it isn't able to make full range, just bend the spring tab accordingly. No more problems!
REPAIR TIME:
30 minutes
COST:
Free!
You have a video on this by chance
@@melaniealvarado2511 no
You need to make a video on this one. I plan to make one on our fix.
I’ll Venmo you $50 for a video of you doing this. Any interest?
Why isnt there a recall on this issue if so many are dealing with it?! So upset. Already had the BCM replaced once last year. Ridiculous.
Thanks so much! This has been driving me nuts. I want it fixed but dread going to the dealer. Now, maybe I can do it myself.
Good luck. If you haven't read my other comments, I have found that if you squeeze the shifter release button 2 or 3 times rapidly the problem will go away for several days or weeks. Mine is a company car and it now has 90,000 miles and never fully failed to where this trick won't work. I just made the video in case people were curious where the switch was located. Also I made this because my dealer told me I needed a new shifter handle which was wrong.
I'm going to try this with my 2021 traverse. I'm not getting a message on the dash. My vehicle just won't move in reverse without some finagling
Jumper the black & blue wire of that small shifter switch. The computer is looking for that short when the car is in park. It works and we plan to make a video on it soon.
My 2019 with 29k miles as well…
Making the dealer take care of it but at least I’m able to exit the car without it being an issue for now.
lts actually called an omron switch. Costs about 4 bucks from digi-key part #D2HW-BL221H and its an upgraded part just soddered the two wires back together easy fix takes about 5 mins.
Just bought the switch and replaced it also. Thanks for the part number, only time will tell if it holds up better. 58k on a 2018 Traverse.
My Cruze had the same issue. I’d just tap the button when I put it into park and after 2-3 times it would clear. Did this for about 5 years.
Yes this seems to work equally as well on my Traverse. I should have said something to that effect in the video but failed to. Thanks for your comment!
Which button do you tap??
@@milisalderete9287 The same button that you squeeze to get the shift lever out of park. Just flick it by letting it slip off your finger a few times and normally this will clear the shift to park warning. After a couple times of needing to do this, the message won't come back for a few weeks or months. Somehow it cleans the contacts by having it smack together a few times.
Thanks so much brother 😊
OMRON LIMIT SWITCH. Costs about 4 bucks from digi-key, part #D2HW-BL221H and its an upgraded part just solder the two wires back together easy fix takes about 5 mins. This is from someones else post below. koodos to them!!!!
This exactly what I did to fix the problem. I bent the metal tab on the switch at first and that fixed it for about a year. I then I had to replace the entire switch.
If all I can do is flick the switch could I just take the he shifter handle off instead of dis assembling the whole centre console.
Yes but even easier than that.... When I made this video I didn't realize that you can also get away with just rapidly squeezing or flicking and releasing the trigger button on the front side of the shifter about 4 to 6 times anytime the message appears. This usually cleans the contacts for me good enough to last another 6 weeks or more. I have never replaced the switch and I now have 165,000 miles. Best wishes and good luck, hopefully this will work for you too!
Great video, the temporary fix you showed us is working for me for the time being 👍🏼
Glad this helped. Over time I have found that you can even get away with just rapidly squeezing the button that you squeeze to get the shifter out of park. I have to do this a few quick squeezes and releases about every 2 months when the problem returns. It then clears up for several weeks. That's a lot easier than taking out the shifter handle all together. When I made this video I figured it was going to eventually fail for good but at 90,000 mile this trick still works.
How did you get the plastic cover to lift up, the little piece covering the the metal that needs bending? mine doesn’t want to budge
Small clip on top of the cover needs to come off first.
Excellent Video and information... I ordered the switch with the part # you provided.. Thank you
It would be interesting to know how long a new switch lasts. I wonder if moisture gets into these and it may not last any longer than the original? So far I have been able to have success in just rapidly squeezing and releasing the button on the gear shift handle whenever I get the message. It then goes away for several weeks. If the new switch doesn't come with wires pre-attached, take care when soldering on new ones that you don't overheat it and ruin the switch.
Great job 👏👍👌thanks for the information 👍
First of all thank you for the video. Wife was having a meltdown. It’s a 2019 traverse. I just have one question. If she can’t get it to register park and leaves it will it run the battery down?
Unfortunately..yes
Hello guys what your advice for my traverse 140800 km and now the Geer 103
Best instructions, thanks
Thank you, very helpful! My 2018 Traverse has same issue. Is this covered by factory warranty?
Depending upon your mileage and vehicle age I guess... However, it seems that it will just come back again even with a new switch. It is an unfortunate thing to live with in this Chevy product line. In this video I just wanted to show where the switch was located for curiosity. It turns out that if you just flick the button that takes the shifter out of park or squeeze and release it quickly whenever you get the warning that the problem will go away for a few weeks or months. Somehow this cleans the internal contacts on the switch shown in the video.
@@greenmach Replace the switch and put a slight bend in it.
Great video my friend.
@greenmach does your problem solves after replacing the switch
Hi Waqas. I have never replaced my switch. If you haven't had the chance to read my other comments and replies to others on here, I just flick the shifter button several times while in park and my message goes away for several thousand miles. Before disassembly, you might try that for a while to see if that gets you by. I now have 140,000 miles and I have never replaced this switch. I just made this video to show where it was located in case someone was interested. I believe that moisture, dust, and perhaps carbon build-up from voltage arcs, dirty up the switch (which is common in switches that aren't sealed or protected from voltage arcs). Chevy has a harness that is supposed to absorb the arcs which is noted in my notes under the RUclips title above. I have read other commenters trials at replacing this switch and they have reported success but I've not heard if their new switch is any better quality making it last longer or not.
Using this video, and accessing the OEM switch , and having a lot of experience with micro switches, .... I would say that this is a very light duty switch that is subject to arching and thus causing the contacts to degrade. I believe GM has an adapter harness available that will reduce the voltage surge to try to correct this ... I have not been able to locate that part number. It is in a tech bulletin but without a part #. I ordered a couple of switches from Digikey. Right now after clicking on and off 30 or so times, it is working but I know this won't last .. The shifting unit should have been designed with a much more heavy duty switch . My plan is to replace just the switch as it is much less expensive and requires less labor than replacing the entire shift assembly. I figure this will be an ongoing repair every 20-30 K miles ..
Great comments and I would agree. In my line of work we use relays and their contacts can either go bad or the arching can cause noise that disrupts other electronics. We use varisters, diodes, or Quencharchs (resistor/capacitor circuit) to reduce these problems. Maybe this is what their adapter harness contains.
Thank you very much!!! God bless you
How much $ would a shop charge to get this fixed? I have the same problem at 24,000 miles and I plan to take it to the dealers or shop but I want to make sure I don’t get overcharged
I do not know what the charge would be but I would suggest you print off the second file that is linked in this video's bio and show the dealer. That way they'll know the new special harness they need to order and it'll make you look smart too! I've read comments that others have had to make a couple visits to their dealer before they solved the problem. Having it taken care of in one trip will cut down on labor costs. Otherwise, I have had good luck just squeezing and releasing the shift lock button on the shifter while in park a couple times each time I get the message. It will go away for a few weeks before returning and I now have nearly 100,000 miles without ever having the repair done.
I have a 2018 Acadia which is on the same vehicle platform as Traverse.
The shifter boot and handle came off.
I was able to pry the rear edge by the arm rest as you did, and the back and sides popped.
But the front is caught on something. I have heated/cooled seat buttons in the front area. I don’t have wireless charging pad. Above and behind the pad I have 2 USB ports and a 12V.
Were there two clips at the very front??
Thank you.
Sorry to hear you have had troubles getting it apart. It went pretty smooth for me so I don't know what it would be caught on. Since this video was made, my shift to park warning has returned several times. It seems there is no reason to take all of this apart because with even a new switch it will eventually fail. What seems to work best is to just flick the button that takes the shifter out of park or squeeze and release it rapidly to clear the alarm. It may come back a time or two more over the next day or so. After clearing the alarm like this a few times, the warning will go away for several weeks or months. Somehow this cleans the internal contacts of this switch for a while.
Nice job
정말 감사합니다 🙏 🇰🇷
Do you still have the defective part? Could I get you to send it to me?
Sorry, I never removed the part. This video is just to show where the switch is located. I still have success just rapidly squeezing and releasing the shifter button while in park any time it displays the error. Then it'll last for several weeks without failing again. I now have a little over 100,000 miles on my 2018.
Hello how are you
Same problem with me
How if i remove suitch it will work it
Good, I hope you are doing well. I would not remove the switch! If you remove the switch then I believe your car will ding continuously and say Shift to Park on the dash. Typically I rapidly squeeze and release the button on the shifter handle 5-6 times any time I see the message and it will clear up for a few weeks before the message comes back again.
Gracias 👍 lo acabo de reparar 🎉🎉🎉
HAS ANYONE FOUND A SOURCE For just the replacement limit switch. These things at like only a $10 item if that!
As per anothers post below: lts actually called an omron switch. Costs about 4 bucks from digi-key part #D2HW-BL221H and its an upgraded part just soddered the two wires back together easy fix takes about 5 mins.
I just bought a 2018 Traverse LT this January 2021. I've had the vehicle for almost 2 months. Today I got shift to park message 2x. I'm not a happy camper
It is frustrating but surprisingly it will clear if you flick the button that takes the car out of park a few times when you get the warning. No need to take the console apart, just let let the button slip off your finger or squeeze and release rapidly. Then, after a couple of times parking and doing this flicking, it won't come back for weeks or months. Somehow it cleans the contacts of that switch shown in the video by having its internal contacts smacked together.
@@greenmach the Chevy dealership I purchased from wanted to charge me $184 diagnostic fee
@@danielmchaney The one near me did some other work on my vehicle and when I left, the check engine light was on. I turned around and took it back. They told me it would cost $98 to diagnose it!
It's how they've structured the technician's pay. The techs now either make or lose money based on their performance. If they take longer than the "book" says it will take for the repair then they loose money. They make money by doing simple services that are faster than the book's suggested time.
This problem is across the board at all dealerships. My son had the same experience at a Mopar dealer.
The factory's have turned each tech into a self-supporting individual company rather than being an employee. This is a bad system for the consumer. The factory's need to pay them a salary with bonuses for doing good work; that way the deep pockets of the factory's can cover when things don't go by the books.
... alright, I could go on but, I'll jump off my soapbox now...
If all you have to do is all that flicking, I don’t understand why you have to take apart the whole console, instead of just removing the shift knob, unless you were just wanting to demonstrate WHERE the issue was and explain WHY.
Honestly, I took it all apart, put it all together and forgot a part! I thought I might as well video taking it back apart again and having a copy for myself. You are correct, then I figured others would like to know where and why so I posted this (even though I am not typically a vlogger) in case might help someone else.
I didn't realize until several months later that flicking the button would virtually solve the problem for an extended period of time. By then, this video was getting hits and seeming to help those who wanted to do a complete repair. I don't know how to amend it explaining the flicking option so here we are still watching me tear this whole dang thing apart. 😀
My dad's 2019 equinox has the same shift to park message on the screen and shifter is also stuck in park. Will a new shifter also remedy the stuck in park shifter issue?
I'm sorry I don't know that one. Just fellow Chevy owner but not a mechanic. However, knowing that there's not much to the actual shifter lever, I would guess that the lever isn't the hold-up but something more in the transmission or linkage on its way to the transmission.
does my battery need to be unhooked???
Hi Chara. Yes, I would recommend disconnecting your battery. Depending upon your Traverse's options, you may have other pushbutton switches in your shifter console and any one of them could get shorted out while disassembling. If you haven't read my other comments on here, I just flick the shifter button several times while in park and my message goes away for several thousand miles. Before disassembly, you might try that for a while to see if that gets you by. I now have 140,000 miles and I have never replaced this switch. I just made this video to show where it was located in case someone was interested. Best wishes and take care!
I read somewhere where there was a service bulletin issued for this. I called my dealer and they said (suprise) They had no record of a service bulletin. I also read somewhere where this is covered under the 5 year service train warranty. Can anybody verify? Thanks.
There is a link in the description under this video. I don't know if that is the service bulletin that you are looking for?
@@greenmach Ah, I see it now. Thank you.
Update , you think the newer vehicle models Chevy would learn to fix this problem . I have 2022 Chevy trailblazer and it’s driving me insane the car has 26k miles on it . Dealer replaced the part once and couple weeks it started again . Been waiting for the new part to come in . This is pathetic
Typical Chevrolet. Suggesting half-assed fixes for something that shouldn't be happening in the first place. Especially on a vehicle so new
What is the switch called
Ray, see my written comments above for the part number. Also note that most owners are noting that if you just flick the lever on the shifter 2-3 times when you get the message, it will typically go away and the switch won't bother you for a few days. Yep it's a pain, but at least you can leave your car and the warning chime will quit until you can get it repaired.
У меня такая же ерунда. 2018 год. Пробег 140000 км. Сделал всё как в видео. Проблема ушла.
I'm glad this helped! Take care my friend!
@@greenmach thanks a lot
If you are going to go to all this trouble you need to replace the switch and don't have to replace whole shifter.
Switch part # D2HW-BL221H MFG BY OMRON. Available at DIGiKEY.COM for $3.42. Just requires soldering it in.
Great find! I poked around a bit online and couldn't find it. Thanks Donald!
Thanks man.
I don’t see anything wrong with yours ? I’m kind of confused
Mine "fails" about every 6 weeks but I have always been able to make the alarm go away by flicking the button on the shifter multiple times which seems the clean the contacts on the switch. I made this video to show where the micro-switch is located since some people just want to replace it rather than the work-around that I just described. If you take it to a dealer, they are supposed to replace the switch and put in an electronic surge absorber to try and help the contacts last longer. Information on that from Chevy is in the description under the video.
PS: I'm no expert, just a Chevy Traverse owner and thought I'd share my experience.
@@greenmach Yes , you can squeeze the trigger over and over until the orange power light on the start switch goes off.... I have done this for two months, my issue is.. I also own a chevy sonic and have had to replace the trigger mechanisms twice, so from my experiences abusing the trigger may result in replacing that as well...
I got a new shifter and it did the shift to park thing right after.
Wow!! Need to just have someone repair it, as I did.
@@josephcammarata6800 how much did the shop charge you to fix it?
The amount of views tells the story..
I had this problem. Just hold down the break and shift the stick to drive fast and back to park fast
You can save wear and tear on your transmission mechanisms by just leaving it in park while you see the message and flicking or quickly squeezing and releasing the release button on the shifter handle. It makes the switch that is shown in the video get bumped repeatedly which cleans its contacts of any carbon build-up. I now have 150,000 miles and have never replaced my switch. When I made this video I didn't realize it would last this long so I took all this apart to get the switch's part number just in case.
I have a 2018 at 14000 miles with the same problem ugh
I bet GM tells people they need a new transmission, charges them for doesn't perform the work except for replacing that switch
I got mine replaced about 3-4 yrs ago and now I’m having the same issue again
I have 2018 chevy traverse with that problem and they charge me $500.00 to fix the problem with the 💩💩💩💩💩 car...
WAIT, So can you just replace that dinky little mechanical switch for $10...you said change the whole mechanism assembly, which would likely be a $500 part and a b!tch of a job.
Even better, since I made this video, I have found that you really don't have to do anything with any parts. If you get the message on the dash to shift to park, you can just flick, (or quickly squeeze and release) the gearshift lever's lock lever multiple times and the message will go away for several weeks or even months before it returns. I now have 120,000 miles and have never replaced this switch.
The entire mechanism is 75 bucks from eagle auto , Riverhead NY.
You really don't show a fix your showing the problem
Hence the title... However, if you read my notes under the video, it shows the factory's suggested fix with a new wiring harness.
Failed to mention year, make, model, engine size. Instant thumbs down 👎🏽
2018 Chevy Traverse, 3.6L V6. Silver on the outside, black on the inside. ...hope that helps ;)
Joking asside, I made this video for myself but forgot to mark it private. It started getting traction from others having the same troubles (and nice complements for the help) so I left it set as a public video. I am in no way a professional vlogger, as you can tell, so I apologize for the missing details.