P0928: Gear Shift Lock Solenoid/Actuator Control Circuit A/Open
What to do
If the car will not come out of park, look for the shift-lock release — a small covered slot beside the selector on most vehicles — which frees the lever enough to move the car. Then have the brake light switch checked before this solenoid: it is a common cause of the same symptom and far cheaper.
What this code means
A fault in the circuit controlling the shift lock — the solenoid that physically holds the selector in park until the brake pedal is pressed.
The interlock exists to prevent a vehicle being put into gear without the driver's foot on the brake, and it fails in the direction that strands people: locked. A car that will not come out of park is one of the more alarming things to encounter in a car park, and the fault is very often not in this solenoid at all. The interlock releases on a valid brake signal, so a failed brake light switch produces exactly this symptom for a fraction of the cost — which is worth establishing before the console is dismantled.
Almost every vehicle also carries a manual shift-lock release, usually a small covered slot beside the selector that a key or screwdriver frees. Knowing it exists is the difference between driving home and calling for recovery.
Likely causes
Start here
- Faulty brake light switch · easy
- Faulty shift lock solenoid · moderate
Less common
- Open circuit in solenoid wiring · moderate
- Corroded or loose connector · easy
- Blown fuse or failed supply · easy
Symptoms
Components involved
Information, not instruction
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Have anything you intend to act on checked by a trained person against the manufacturer's own procedure for your vehicle. Nothing here replaces that procedure.
Community experience
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