How can I disable the brake / transmission shift interlock?
This “feature” was added to most GM cars during the time when Audi was suffering lawsuits from “unintended acceleration” cases. It prevents the driver from putting the car into gear without the brake fully engaged. It is easily defeated for more careful drivers. For a ’96, just remove the shift handle, lift off the cover plate, and unplug the connector from the BTSI solenoid. Then get some 1,1,1 Trichloroethane solvent and wipe off the white “Press Brake to Shift From Park” lettering from the console cover plate and reinstall. Other solvents will work to remove the lettering, but test them on the back side to be sure they don’t melt the plastic. On a ’94-’95 the BTSI solenoid is at the base of the steering column: just unplug it. If you want to remove the white lettering, it’s on the instrument cluster which is a little harder to get to but it can be removed just the same. Back to the index…
