These instructions apply to the Maserati Quattroporte Mk6 (M156) 2013-2024.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
If the gear selector on your Maserati Quattroporte (M156, 2013–2024) refuses to move out of ‘P’ — usually after a flat battery, a blown fuse, or an electrical fault — the car has a built-in manual emergency release that frees the transmission so the vehicle can be rolled, loaded onto a transporter, or towed clear. It is a designed-in feature, not a sign that anything has broken beyond the original fault, and every owner should know where it is before they actually need it.
Why This Car Needs a Manual Release
The automatic transmission on this Quattroporte holds the car in Park with an electrically controlled lock. When the selector is in ‘P’, a solenoid-operated pawl engages inside the gearbox and keeps the driven wheels from turning. That lock only disengages electronically — normally when you have your foot on the brake, the ignition on, and you move the lever out of ‘P’. If the electrical system is dead, that release never happens, so the parking pawl stays engaged and the car is immobile even in neutral-looking conditions.
The most common trigger is a discharged 12 V battery, which on this model lives in the boot rather than under the bonnet, so a flat battery can leave you unable to shift and unable to open things in the usual way. The manual release is a mechanical cable that pulls the parking pawl clear by hand, bypassing the dead electronics entirely. It exists so the car can be recovered; it does not repair whatever caused the loss of power.
First, a Few Checks
- Apply the parking brake first, or chock the wheels — once ‘P’ is released the car is free to roll, and on any slope it will move.
- Only use this when the lever genuinely will not leave ‘P’ by the normal method with your foot on the brake.
- Have a screwdriver ready — it is the only tool required.
- Make sure you have a plan for where the car will go: someone at the wheel to steer, or the recovery operator positioned, before you free the transmission.
- Work on firm, level ground wherever possible so the car does not start rolling the instant the pawl disengages.
Releasing the Transmission
- On the driver’s side, slide the seat fully back to give yourself room to reach the floor.
- Remove the driver’s side floor mat to expose the carpet and the release point beneath it.
- Remove the protective cap covering the release point.
- Using a screwdriver, press the securing clip downwards and, at the same time, pull the manual release cable.
- The transmission is freed from ‘P’ and the car can now be moved or towed.
When you have finished, refit the cap and the floor mat — installation is simply the reverse of removal.
If It Won’t Release
- Check the parking brake is fully off — an engaged electronic or mechanical brake will still hold the car even after the pawl is released, which can feel like the release has not worked.
- Confirm you are pulling the cable, not just the clip — the clip has to be pressed down and held while the cable is drawn out at the same moment.
- Make sure nothing is loading the transmission — a car parked nose-down against the pawl can bind it; rocking the car slightly can relieve that pressure.
- Verify the cap and release point are the ones on the driver’s side floor — do not force any other trim.
- If the cable still will not move the pawl, stop and call recovery rather than risk damaging the mechanism.
After Using the Release
- Have the underlying cause investigated — this is an emergency measure to move the car, not a repair.
- A flat 12 V battery is the usual trigger; remember it sits in the boot on this car, so that is where any jump or replacement happens.
- A stored fault code may point at the real problem — you can look it up on autodtcs.com.
- Once power is restored, cycle the selector through its positions to confirm normal electronic Park operation has returned before driving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the emergency park release on a Quattroporte?
It is on the driver’s side floor, under the floor mat, behind a small protective cap. You lift the mat, pop the cap, then press the clip and pull the cable beneath it. Keeping the seat slid back makes it far easier to reach.
Is it safe to use the manual release?
Only with the parking brake applied or the wheels chocked. The moment ‘P’ disengages, nothing holds the car on the transmission side, so on any gradient it can roll immediately. Have someone ready at the wheel or the recovery truck in position before you pull the cable.
Why won’t my lever come out of P?
Most often it is a flat or disconnected 12 V battery, a blown fuse, or another electrical fault that stops the Park lock releasing normally. The lock is electrically operated, so no power means no shift. Fix the cause after you have recovered the car.
Do I need any special tools?
No. A single screwdriver is enough to press the securing clip down while you pull the release cable. There is no diagnostic equipment involved in the mechanical release itself — the whole point is that it works with the electrics dead.
The battery is in the boot — how do I open it if there’s no power?
A flat battery can complicate boot access, so before you are stranded it is worth learning your car’s emergency boot and charging points. If the battery has gone flat, addressing that first often restores normal selector operation without needing the manual release at all.
Can I keep driving after using it?
Only once the fault that stopped the selector working has been sorted and normal Park operation is confirmed. The manual release just frees the car to be moved; it does not restore the electronic Park lock, so do not rely on the car holding on a slope until the electrics are working again.
If the lever stuck after a battery issue, see our Quattroporte battery guide, and decode any fault on autodtcs.com.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Maserati. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.