Steering Column Electric Park Lock

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

If the vehicle is equipped with a floor-mounted console gear shifter, an added safety feature is an electric park lock system in the steering column. The electric park lock system prevents the steering wheel from being locked when the transmission is in gear and the vehicle may be moving. The column ignition lock system consists of a steering column electric park lock and a park position switch, that is located in the A/T shift lock control switch. The park key lock actuator contains a spring-loaded pin that mechanically prevents the ignition key cylinder from being turned to the Lock position when the transmission is not in the Park position. If vehicle power is lost or the transmission is not in the Park position, the operator will not be able to turn the ignition key to the Lock position and will not be able to remove the ignition key from the column.