GM Extended Parking Feature Shuts Off Engine: Feature Spotlight
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With nearly every automaker under the sun now offering active safety and advanced driver features, there are a few more common sense features that get left out of the spotlight. GM Extended Parking is one good example of that.
Born out of necessity in the age of the keyless electronic ignition, this General Motors safety feature will automatically shut off a vehicle’s engine after a certain amount of time while the vehicle is parked, reducing emissions and preventing potential carbon monoxide poisoning in the process.
Interestingly, the purpose of this feature was never explicitly stated by GM, but its purpose remains clear all the same. The risks of a keyless ignition include accidentally leaving the engine running in an enclosed space, which could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, not to mention unintentionally burning through a tank of gas, though that’s a much smaller risk than the former. The GM Extended Parking feature helps to alleviate those issues.
The GM Extended Parking feature automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle is parked for 20 minutes without the key fob present, or after an hour when the key fob is present.
GM Extended Parking was first made available in 2013 on select 2014 model year GM vehicles. As of this writing, the feature is standard on 2019 model year and newer Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac models with keyless ignition, also known as push-button start.
Some manufacturers are moving towards the implementation of their own systems similar to the GM Extended Park feature, but regulation on the issue is still murky, as it’s difficult to determine a specific standard time period to switch off the engine.
What’s more, the implementation of a system standard comes with its own unique risks. For example, some drivers will leave pets in the car with the A/C running on a hot day while attending to some errands (something we don’t recommend doing), while other drivers will leave the engine running while they sleep to keep the climate control active.
Nevertheless, current model year GM vehicles will now shut off after a certain period of time when left in park with the engine on. GM’s cross-town rival, Ford, also implemented its own safety feature similar to GM Extended Parking in 2013, while Toyota has announced that 2020 model year vehicles will feature automatic engine shutoff as well.
All told, we think this is a safety feature that makes a lot of sense, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see some kind of industry-wide standardization in the next few years – regardless if those drivers are catching a few z’s in the parking lot.
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If I pay $75,000 for a truck and I want to fill the fuel tank full and leave the damn thing running until it runs out of fuel That’s my prerogative and I should be able to do so! This is absolutely the stupidest feature I’ve ever heard of I hope nobody loses a pet or God forbid a child due to this!!!
Coworker has the Ford equivalent and a plug is made to stop this feature. Contacted the maker and unfortunately they do not make a Chevy version.
I worked for GM and retired out with 32.4 years. I recently traded in a 2018 pickup that would run as long as I needed it too. I travel very little but when I do I LOVE to take my dog. However, now if I take my dog with me and am delayed for any reason, like long checkout lines, my engine shuts off, I run the risk of a cop knocking the windows out of my truck and charging me with animal abuse which is now a felony in Alabama.
HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HOOOOORRRRIBLE FEATURE. I guarantee you someone will lose a pet or a child over this. You people who say there is no reason to leave an engine idle obviously live inside a vacuum and think your life style is the only life style in existence. You haven’t the slightest clue all the professions that require the need for excessive idle times. Law enforcement and first responders being one. Emergency scenes are often in excess of 1 hour and the emergency lights are set to run while vehicle is on. I will NEVER purchase another vehicle with this feature.
Just bought my dream truck 2020 Chevy 2500 High Country. I pulled over in -10 degrees conditions to take a nap and get off the dangerous road. The darn truck turned off every 20 minutes. I about froze to death in my sleep.
Is there a way to turn this off?
How ironic.GM doesn’t allow Truck Drivers to have a pet on their Truck when delivering their products that help pets in cars.All about the money.
i do not like this feature and would love to know if it can be turned off. I leave my vehicle running for longer periods only to find it shutdown. If anyone knows how to turn this off or change the software/firmware please advise.
Just went from Ram to Chev – wrong choice and we would never have bought this truck if we were made aware of this feature!! My husband works in -30 to often -45 *C or colder and let me assure the people who implemented this feature that those temperatures are EXTREMELY COLD. Many people are out in extreme heat and/or cold working to keep people at home safe orb with electricity, oil, gas ect and their vehicles are a safety measure. Fix this problem!!!
This is yhe dumbest thing they ever came up with. It would be fine if you could manually override it!! Very dissapointed. I am a life long brand loyal GM guy. Seriously considering other options
Put vehicle in neutral and parking brake on. Only solution i have found.
So I went from Ram to 2020 3500 Chevy and no one told me that this thing shuts off after hr !! I think this should be told to you before you purchase a truck that you will be using as a commercial work truck! I think this should be against the law because you are giving 70k for a truck and GM is telling you what you can and can’t do with it. If you buy something you should be able to do with it what you want, if you want it to idle for 10 hours GM should be aloud to tell you can’t idle for 10 hours. I see some people taking up for this and the ones that are completely dumb and ignorant, what if I came to your house and told you couldn’t paint the family room they color you desire ! You are going to me go lay down somewhere because it’s your house and you do what you want to do with it. This is the same thing my vehicle I’m paying for it !! I hope a lawyer sue GM over this.
Just purchased a 2021 GMC Yukon and now wish I did not. I do leave my dog in the car with ac on while shopping. If run time is 15 minutes only I am not a happy camper about this. 30 minutes would be better.
Hope leaving it in neutral with the parking brake on works. Will let you know shortly.
Update on my 2021 Yukon.
Leaving the parking brake on while in neutral DOES NOT extend the run time.
What works is leaving your second key fob in your car and locking it with your other key fob. This will extend the run time from 15 minutes to 30.
Still unacceptable but a little better.
I just bought a 2021 Tahoe and did not realize this was a new feature. I have narcolepsy and have to pull over to nap to avoid falling asleep while driving! Therefore the 15 minute shut off is unacceptable! Especially, when you can not override it or even adjust the timing for shut off. My car shuts off in the school pick up line before my child is even released!!
I traded in a 2018 Tahoe for this one and there has been disappointment after disappointment! I bought the ‘21 with the same LT trim package (just 4×4 this time) and you would assume they would carry the same standard safety features. The ‘18 had lane departure warning and correction, the ‘21 LT “upgrade” does not include that. None of the ‘21s have adjustable foot pedals like the older models. So I now have to sit very close to the steering wheel to reach the pedals!
They traded key safety features, that should consistently be improved and added to all models, not removed on newer vehicles. Instead, they removed driving safety features for emissions protection! Oh and the fuel mileage is awful!!
I agree with you on all points.
Just went from a ’17 Yukon SLT to a ’21 SLT.
Use to be able to leave my dog in the car with the ac on up to 30 minutes and with my new car it is now 15. We’re in the south and I can not understand why GM does not talk to previous owners before making stupid decisions like the 15 minute cutoff.
Also…my old SLT had more features, like the pedal adjustment where the new one does not. For a 66K sticker car you’d think it would include it.
I have owned this new Yukon for only 2 weeks now and the drivers inside door handle has already broken and the dealer has ordered a new door panel. In addition…I now have a Service Safety Restraint System Warning message continuously coming on the screen with a ding…ding…ding… sound.
WOW…only have 1,000 miles on it….wonder what’s next. Sort of wish I had my old Yukon back.
BTW……leaving the car in neutral with the parking brake on does not bypass the 15 minute shut off system. Tried it and it still shuts off in 15 minutes.
How do you disarm the system so it will let the car stay running
Mary Barra-
I am extremely upset with my three day old 2021 Yukon Denali! I have driven Yukons for years and have always been happy with this vehicle. The only reason I drive a Yukon is so that I can take my German Shepherd everywhere I travel daily. There has NEVER been a problem, until this car!
Yesterday (day 2 of ownership), I took my dog on errands as always. Keep in mind that it was 90 degrees outside yesterday in Dallas! As always, I had my dog locked in his kennel with the air conditioner running.
When I returned, the engine was not running and the interior of the car was well above 90 degrees. I wrongly assumed that it must have been my mistake and that I had accidently turned off the motor. So, I went to my next stop, making sure that I left the motor running with the air on. When I returned again, the motor was off and my dog was experiencing near heat death!
I understand GM was sued by a family that left their motor going, but I consider my German Shepherd my child and I absolutely cannot have a vehicle that operates this way. As my neighbor stated, she takes her elderly mother on errands with the motor running and she purposely takes the key fob in case someone would kidnap her mother and the car.
Surely the top GM Engineer can remedy this for people like me. Dallas is a tremendous source of sales for GM cars. If there is no remedy, I shall certainly start writing to all newspapers throughout the country and dealerships, etc. to let potential buyers know about this great fault/fiasco with the operation of this vehicle!
PS – I tried to call you, Mary Barra, and was transferred to CHINA!!!
Recently purchased my fourth (2021) Yukon and agree with you.
Like you…I take my dog with me and found my car shuts off after only 15 minutes.
Please note there is one solution before GM solves this problem. You can leave your second key fob inside your car and lock it with your other key fob. This will extend the run time to 30 minutes.
I live in the hot state of South Carolina and have written GM with my dissatisfaction with no response. You’d think a longtime GM customer would be given a response???????
GM, have you fixed this yet?????????????? Make it an option.
I have been a Ford owner for 30 years & decided to trade in my 2019 Ford 6.7 Platinum F-350 in on a 2020 3500 Denali with the Diesel engine. My Ford had this same feature on it but after it ran for 30 minutes a command popped up on the control center asking you if you wanted to keep the truck running. You would click ok then you could go to sleep & it would keep running. I work out of my truck & sometimes I need it to run for extended periods. I do know if this problem isn’t fixed by the time I get ready to trade again in the middle of 2021. I will never by another GM truck again
I am 60 years old. Never owned anything other than a chevy or GMC truck since I was 16. I now have my 2020 duromax for sale because of this stupid feature. I will buy a Dodge.
What s bunch of idiots they call GM engineers
I have driven ford trucks all my life as of lately I’ve had the need to start driving my wife 12 hours round-trip as she was recently diagnosed with cancer so I decided to go out and purchase a new Tahoe against my better judgement. I have to wait about 8 hours in the truck outside the hospital and to try and get some rest while I’m waiting it’s impossible I’ve had this vehicle all of two weeks and this is a major deal breaker I should have stayed with my reliable old ford