These instructions apply to the DS 5 Mk1 (K) 2011-2018.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
When the gear lever on your automatic DS 5 (2011–2018) won’t come out of P — you press the brake, work the button, and it simply stays put — the car usually isn’t faulty in the way it feels. The selector is held by an electric shift-lock, and when that lock loses power or misbehaves it stays engaged and traps the transmission in Park. For precisely this reason the DS 5 has a small mechanical override tucked under the lever trim. Releasing the lever with it needs only a flat screwdriver and about a minute, and it’s a built-in function rather than a workaround — every automatic on this platform carries one so the car can be rolled clear or loaded for recovery when the electrics are dead.
Why the Lever Locks in Park
On an automatic DS 5, a solenoid-driven shift-lock links the selector to the brake pedal and to a healthy 12 V supply. In everyday use it releases the moment you press the brake with the ignition on, which is what stops you shifting out of Park by mistake. If the battery is flat, has just been disconnected, or the shift-lock circuit faults, that solenoid can’t energise — so it holds the lever where it stands. The mechanical override nudges the same catch aside by hand, giving you a route out that needs no electrics at all.
When You Need This
- The gear lever is stuck in ‘P’ and won’t shift even with the brake firmly pressed.
- You’ve just had a flat or disconnected 12 V battery, or suspect a shift-lock fault on the automatic gearbox.
- You need to move or recover the car — roll it off a driveway, load it onto a transporter, or free it for towing.
Before You Begin
- Chock the wheels or apply the parking brake first. Once the lever leaves Park the transmission no longer holds the car, so it must be secured against rolling before you touch the override.
- Park on level ground wherever you can — a slope makes a freed transmission much harder to control.
- Have the brake pedal covered or someone in the driver’s seat ready to hold it, so the car stays put the instant it can move.
- Use a small flat-blade screwdriver that fits the override cleanly — an oversized blade can distort the trim.
- Apply steady pressure, not force; the override responds to a firm push, not a hard shove.
The Procedure
- Apply the parking brake (or chock the wheels) so the car can’t roll once Park is released.
- Remove the gear-lever cover — prise it up carefully to expose the shift-lock override underneath.
- Insert the screwdriver into the override and press it as shown in the car’s handbook.
- While keeping it pressed, move the lever to ‘N’, then remove the screwdriver.
- Refit the cover — the car can now be moved or towed.
If It Won’t Release
- The lever still won’t budge: confirm you are holding the override fully home as you move the selector — the two actions must happen at the same time, not in sequence.
- The cover won’t lift cleanly: work around its edge rather than levering from a single corner, so the trim doesn’t crack before you reach the override.
- It frees but re-locks: that suggests the electrical shift-lock rather than a one-off dead battery, so the car may keep needing the override until it’s repaired.
- Nothing works at all: stop and recover the car properly rather than forcing the lever, which can damage the selector mechanism.
After You’ve Freed It
- If this happened because of a flat 12 V battery, charge or renew it before relying on the car again.
- Once power is restored, check the lever moves through its positions normally with the brake pressed.
- If the lever keeps sticking with a healthy battery, the shift-lock solenoid or brake-light switch may be at fault — that usually stores a code you can investigate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my DS 5 stuck in Park?
Most often it’s a flat or recently disconnected 12 V battery, or a shift-lock fault that leaves the solenoid unable to release. The lever is held mechanically until the override under the cover pushes the catch aside, so you can free it even with no electrical power at all.
Where is the emergency release?
It sits under the gear-lever cover on the centre console. Prise the cover up carefully to expose the shift-lock override, then press it with a small flat screwdriver as you move the lever. Refit the cover afterwards so nothing rattles or catches later on.
Is it safe to do myself?
Yes, as long as you secure the car first. Apply the parking brake or chock the wheels before releasing Park, because the transmission stops holding the car the moment the lever moves. Work on level ground and keep the brake covered so it can’t roll away.
Will using the override damage the gearbox?
No — it’s a designed-in feature for exactly this situation, so using it correctly does no harm. Avoid forcing anything, though: if the lever won’t move with the override pressed, stop and arrange recovery rather than levering hard on the selector.
The lever keeps sticking even with a good battery — what now?
Repeated sticking with healthy power points to the shift-lock solenoid or the brake-light switch that tells it the pedal is pressed. Both usually log a fault code; you can look up any stored code on autodtcs.com to narrow things down before booking a repair.
Can I tow the car once it’s in Neutral?
Freeing the lever to N lets the car be rolled a short distance or loaded onto a transporter. For any longer recovery, follow your handbook’s towing guidance for an automatic — flat-towing on all four wheels isn’t always suitable and can strain the transmission.
If a related fault code appears, our sister site autodtcs.com can help you decode it.
Independent guide — not affiliated with DS. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.