If your Mitsubishi Mirage has a dead battery or you cannot get it out of “Park” due to an electrical failure, you can use the manual Shift Lock Release to shift it into Neutral. This is a mechanical override designed specifically for situations like towing or moving the vehicle out of the way.
How to Manually Release the Shift Lock
- Secure the Vehicle: Before doing anything, ensure the parking brake is firmly applied. Because you are about to disengage the transmission’s “Park” lock, the vehicle will be able to roll freely once you shift it to Neutral.
- Locate the Access Slot: Look at the center console area directly around your gear shifter. You are looking for a small, square or rectangular plastic cover (a “cap”)—typically located near the top-left or side of the shifter base.
- Remove the Cap: Use a small flat-head screwdriver, a butter knife, or a trim tool to gently pry the plastic cover off. Be careful not to scratch the surrounding plastic console trim.
- Engage the Release:
- Once the cap is removed, you will see a small button or lever inside the slot.
- Insert your key, a small screwdriver, or a similar tool into the slot.
- Press down firmly on the button or lever inside the slot and hold it.
- Shift to Neutral: While continuing to hold the release button down, depress the brake pedal (if you have enough residual power or the ability to do so) and move the gear shifter out of “Park” and into the “Neutral” position.
- Move the Vehicle: Once in Neutral, you can release the parking brake to allow the vehicle to be rolled or towed onto a flatbed.
Important Safety Tips
- Parking Brake: Never skip setting the parking brake. Without it, the car will roll away the moment you shift into Neutral, which can be extremely dangerous.
- Mechanical vs. Electrical: This procedure is purely mechanical. It will not fix a dead battery or an electrical fault; it only bypasses the safety interlock that prevents the gear selector from moving when the vehicle lacks power.
- Re-locking: Once the vehicle is in its new location, move the shifter back into “Park” to keep it stationary.
Expert Tip: If you find that the shifter is stuck even with power (i.e., the battery isn’t dead), check your brake lights. The shift interlock is often triggered by the brake light switch; if your brake lights aren’t turning on when you press the pedal, the shifter won’t receive the “all clear” to unlock. In that specific case, checking your fuses or the brake switch itself may resolve the issue without needing the manual release.