Car shifts into Park when Reversing?

[dcclappers]

This has happened a number of times when I am backing out of garage or even a parking space, car will repeatedly shift back into Park. Does it multiple times when trying to back up. Then next time,no issues. Anyone experience anything similar where the car shifts itself into Park?

2017 Model S 60

 

[robaross]

You may be lifting yourself off the seat when you look back and the car will believe the seat is empty and shift into park.

 

[democappy]

You may be lifting yourself off the seat when you look back and the car will believe the seat is empty and shift into park.

This would definitely be my best guess as well. I have had it happen to me before.

 

[Jashev]

Make sure your seatbelt is on to prevent this.

 

[Raechris]

This has happened to me as well when there has been snow or ice on an ultrasonic. Turning off emergency braking ( I think) setting prevented it.

 

[Tam]

...This has happened a number of times...

Yes! Since 2012! As mentioned by @Jashev

Please buckle your driver seat belt then you can do all the Reverse you want!

This protocol was done to prevent such a death like 27 year old Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin when his Jeep rolled back and pinned him in 2016.

 

[mongo]

Yes! Since 2012! As mentioned by @Jashev

Please buckle your driver seat belt then you can do all the Reverse you want!

This protocol was done to prevent such a death like 27 year old Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin when his Jeep rolled back and pinned him in 2016.

Teslas always did this.. From 2014 manual:

 

[boaterva]

I noticed this when I first got the car and tried to look out the window when parking in the garage and you need to remove your belt to do so, you will get the ‘auto park’. (I was trying to find the best landmark for spotting tire placement, etc.) Doesn’t seem to happen to me when precision parking in forward so may be an issue in reverse only or above some speed limit?

I think it was fine tuned slightly at the time of the accident mentioned above.

 

[SSonnentag]

I got tired of my John Deere tractor refusing to move when I shifted in the seat too much, so this past weekend I removed the seat switch and installed a jumper wire. Problem solved. I suspect this issue in our Teslas would not be quite so simple to solve.

 

[SSonnentag]

My wife refuses to buy another car that DOES NOT shift into park when it senses the driver has left the seat. She is currently recuperating from a crushed arm due to forgetting to put her Subaru into park when checking the mailbox.

 

[whitex]

This has been covered on TMC a few times IIRC. The car will shift to park if seat-belt is unlatched and the driver lifts off the seat. The latter can happen if the driver is turning around while backing up. Best solution is to keep the setbelt on, or use the mirrors and camera so you can back-up without turning around.

 

[SeBsZ]

Another one I haven't seen mentioned is having your driver's door open to see where you are going. It will also shift to Park in this case.

 

[chibi_kurochan]

This has happened a number of times when I am backing out of garage or even a parking space, car will repeatedly shift back into Park. Does it multiple times when trying to back up. Then next time,no issues. Anyone experience anything similar where the car shifts itself into Park?

2017 Model S 60

This has happened to me several times as well on BOTH 2017 MS 75 and 2018 M3.
At first i thought it's the seat sensor, but the last time it happened, i'm sure i was still seated (i only use the side mirrors and backup camera nowadays) Although i don't remember if i have seatbelt on or not.

 

[castaine]

Just had this happen to me with a 2016 MS. I definitely had the set belt on and was not moving around in the seat (was using the rear view camera backing out of the garage). After several repeated events i was able to get it into the driveway so the car would have over the air connectivity and then called tech support. They found that the vehicle was in a "vehicle hold error".

They had me:
1) reboot main console
2) put car in reverse and while firmly pressing the brake pedal also press the accelerator
3) put the car in neutral and let it roll a bit and then slam on the brake hard

Steps 1 and 2 didn't resolve the issue and the last step finally cleared the problem. If that hadn't worked, they said next step was to do a full power reset of the vehicle. And if that failed to resolve the issue then last resort was to get towed to a service center.

I have to admit that the tech on the call was was right. The sequence of potential resolutions steps sounds weird (especially #3) but it did clear the error.

The vehicle is already schedule for a service call in a couple of weeks so this issue is being added to the to-do list to have them do a deeper diagnostic while there.