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Inaccurate error messages in my 2018 Holden ZB Commodore

Asked by Gareth

My 2018 Holden ZB Commodore has developed a problem. After I put the auto transmission into Park and turn off the engine, a message pops up with a chime saying ‘Shift to Park’ even though the transmission is actually in Park. It’s intermittent and only happens on about three of every five occasions. After pressing the gear selector release button a few times, the message goes away. What do you think could be cause of this issue?

Answered by CarsGuide

17 Feb 2025 David Morley

The answer is probably a pretty simple one in terms of what’s causing it. The warning light is to remind you to leave the car with Park engaged. So, the gear selector will have a tiny sensor or micro-switch that detects the selector in the Park position which is then conveyed to the car’s body computer. But if the sensor or switch is faulty or not adjusted correctly, the computer will think the car is not in Park and will light up the warning to alert you. The intermittent nature of the fault is what makes us think this is the case, combined with the fact that a quick flick of the T-bar button is enough to make the warning disappear.

So much for the cause, because the fix might be a bit more complicated. Depending on where the sensors and switches live, you may need to disassemble more of the car than would seem necessary to fix such a seemingly small problem. An auto electrician should be able to make sense of it.

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