F1 transmission sticks in gear

I haven't seen a thread for this problem, so I'm posting it.

Yesterday after coming home for lunch for an hour or so, I couldn't re-start my F430.
The pump primed when I opened the door. When I turned the key to position II, it went through the checks and came back with OK. (The check engine light stayed on, which it always does until about 10 seconds after the engine starts.) The car was in first, and pulling both paddles wouldn't shift it to N. Neither would the downshift paddle; pressing the R button had no effect either. The start button wouldn't engage the starter.
There were no error codes flashing. I opened and closed the passenger door and the hood, which I think have ignition lockouts - no effect there either. The battery was fine.

The solution? I released the hand brake and gently rocked the car back and forth a few times. Evidently the F1 transmission can get stuck in gear, and this releases it!

 

Do you usually park it in gear? I usually park in n but most of the time im parked in a garage with level surface

 

Common type of problem in a 360, similar system. Your mechanic should be able to help sort this. Could be as simple as a sensor issue or a setting.

 

I parked it in the garage, on a level surface. But I followed the owner's manual instructions, which are to leave it in first or reverse.

 

It has happened a few times. Glad you figured it out. I doubt you need to see a mechanic for this unless it continues to happen. Just another Ferrari glitch.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/360-430-sponsored-yellow-compass-group/480962-scuderia-wont-start.html

 

Sounds like a low battery to me. Incidentally, if you read your owners manual, it will tell you to always start in neutral. If a battery is low, starting in gear can result in the system not shifting to neutral, but trying to start and lurching forward. Has happened to several owners.

Dealers have been telling owners to leave the car in neutral when parked because they often forget to shift to neutral before starting. This is nonsense. Leave her in gear and then select neutral before starting, just like it says in the owners manual. Everyone here has an IQ well above 100 and can remember to select neutral before starting with a little learning and creating a new habit pattern.

 

Try stepping on the brake pedal with all ur weight. Sometimes the brake pedal sensor goes and the car doesn't start

 

Disconnect negative side of battery cable. Wait 1 minute and re install. This corrected my problem.

 

This is what I've experienced, and only if the car has sat for more than a week.

However, if you need to use the car right away and it won't start I've been able to get it going by hitting the start button even before getting the "Check OK" indication. Not recommended day to day but it does beat pushing it.

 

Power cycle is often suggested as the cure all but it isn't a good general practice.

Taz is probably right. If you keep the car on a tender, you will have far fewer problems.

 

Does leaving it in neutral when parked hurt anything?

 

Only when it rolls away.

 

Ha...that's all I figured. Thankfully my garage is flat and my parking brake works