Running the Vehicle While Parked

It is better not to park with the engine running. But if you ever have to, here are some things to know.

WARNING:
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed area with poor ventilation is dangerous. Engine exhaust may enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust contains Carbon Monoxide (CO) which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Never run the engine in an enclosed area that has no fresh air ventilation. For more information, see Engine Exhaust.

WARNING:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the automatic transmission shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. The vehicle can roll. Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is running unless you have to. If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly level ground, always set the parking brake and move the shift lever to P (Park).

Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not move. See Shifting Into Park.

If parking on a hill and pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer.

    See also:

    StabiliTrak®
    The vehicle may have the StabiliTrak system that assists with directional control of the vehicle in difficult driving conditions. The system turns on automatically every time the vehicle is star ...

    Defensive Driving
    Defensive driving means “always expect the unexpected.” The first step in driving defensively is to wear the safety belt. See Safety Belts. • Assume that other road users (pedestrians, ...

    Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
    Airbags affect how the vehicle should be serviced. There are parts of the airbag system in several places around the vehicle. Your dealer and the service manual have information about servic ...