It's really quite amazing how modern cars have made very simple things so complicated. It kind of makes me happy i drive an old car with no fancy electronics on it.

You saved us and the tow truck driver! We were stuck with a dead Defender in the scottish highlands. Your video showed us how to get the car on to the tow!!

This is how manual says to to it in a D5 (D300)… similar vehicle (engine and gearbox) & controls To exit the vehicle with the EPB released and the transmission in N, operate as follows: 1 With the vehicle's ignition switched on, press the P button to engage transmission Park (P) and apply the EPB. 2 Press the brake pedal and simultaneously press the P button for 1 second. The EPB releases and transmission Park (P) remains engaged. 3 With the brake pedal pressed, select N. 4 Switch the vehicle's ignition off. 5 Open the driver's door and exit the vehicle.

I think the first set of beeps at 6:00 was the rear parking sensors. Thanks for the informative video!

To get out of the car and keep it in recovery mode, put the key into a faraday bag before exiting / opening the door. This blocks the signal so the car thinks it is still inside. You can use the faraday bag to also stop the cars pivipro from cycling on/off everytime you open the close the door - good for camping :)

Interesting video Simon..... I have several Range Rover’s..... the earlier models are manual gearbox units... I always drive off in second gear ⚙️!!! With the later automatic Range Rover’s it’s always right foot for acceleration and left foot for braking!!! Simple easy driving skills, and I also have my hands on the steering wheel at 10 & 2!!!! None of this BS shifting hands around the wheel!!!! Kindest regards Ian 👨‍🎤🇳🇿

I was just coming here to ask what the difference is between the second method and just selecting neutral and then I see your prompt appear at the end of the video. 😂

And just as general info if anyone is in this predicament: my 2023 MY Defender did NOT have any of the parts associated with the lever installed. The shaft to activate N was on the L side of the transmission case, though, so with carefully applied vice-grips and some cable ties, I was able to engage N from P. I will be retrofitting the lever.

GAP Diagnostic is in Canada, just outside Montreal. I actually learned that just last month and went to see Patrick to get a GAP IID for my LR4. There is also a LR Experience center 1.5 hours away from here. If you guys come around here, I'll certainly make myself free to hang out!!!

What about if there are no electrics, complete battery failure and the car needs towing out of a dangerous position? Had this recently, would just go back into park when booster pack removed.

Simon, you are in your car in the workshop on flat surface...what would you expect if the is on any incline, the car will roll back and you can't get out anyway. So, kind of special situation. If you want to be towed, someone has to steer :-). The function that ParkingBrake and gear comes back, is the DriverExitStrategy. You will have the same if you are driving slowly with the car and opening the door. Not quite sure what will happen if the seat belt is buckled and you are sitting on the belt. You tried it unbuckled.

Having moved from a manual to an automatic last May, I find these automatics to be technologically advanced and lots of advantages, but they've really missed a trick in effectively deleting the advantages of a manual. E.g., the inability to jump-start a car, inability to put it in neutral easily without the engine switched on. The recent Land Rovers have a trailer light sequence test which is good, but my Discovery 5 does not. How one is supposed to check the reverse lights on the trailer is working by yourself I do not know - another automatic disadvantage that didn't exist with my manual.

A powerful winch and a bottle of washing up liquid always gets it on the wrecker whether it's in park or not

Very interesting topic. Thanks for sharing Simon 👍 Cheers

I agree with the comment at the end - I can't see the point, just put it in Neutral as normal. If there is a real problem, then the electrics have likely failed and the solution would be a manual override like teh Stig has ??? Remember - you should NEVER 2-wheel tow a 4x4 - it sould either be on a truck or the rear wheels on a trolly. 2-wheel towing will destroy the gearbox. By the way, I drove past the JLR factory in Nitra 10 days ago. Wow! it's massive now and they have re-routed the roads passing the factory and built a new dual carriageway.

Thank you brother Simon 🤗🙏🏽🤙🏽👊🏽👍🏽

A towie will just skull drag the vehicle onto the flat bed then when at the workshop just accelerate away so the vehicle slides off. Easy peasy. Now your problem to fix it! Lol 👍🏻🙏🦘

Boom Boom!! 💥 Arizona for the win!

Part No. LRL 10 03 68 211 This is the full recovery guide which includes emergency EPB release. Can be downloaded from Topix.

Reminds me of when I got fuel contamination in my BMW diesel ('Every little' bit of water and silt in the supermarket's underground tank DID NOT 'help'!) the engine went into restricted mode at 60 mph on a dual carriageway outside lane. I managed to get into a short layby in about 100 metres before the engine cut out and the car locked itself in park. The recovery truck had to jack my car onto 4 wheeled dollies in order to recover it as we could not get it out of park.

Another good video 👍👍👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hello Simon, I'm a big fan of your channel and the things you do with the cars. I am the owner of a New Defender D300 from 2022. I wanted to try putting the parking brake in neutral myself so that I know what to do in the event of a tow. I have tried it several times but there is no reaction in the display when I do the procedure with the brake and accelerator pedal. Am I doing something wrong here or is there a different procedure for the D300 Ingenium? Greetings from Germany Michael

What if you cant start the engine maybe there is no oil?

So what's the way to release EPB without running the engine? Or shall I ask more specifically, is there a pure mechanical way to put the car in neutral(the secret lever) and release EPB?

I think I hope that I will never have to find out! Re the handbrake, I have to press mine to release and pulling it up applies it…the opposite to yours! Dare I say the poor old Stig would like a nice wash and some tyre dressings…he’s feeling neglected! 😬😀😀😀😀

I think (going by other card I've worked on with EPB if you keep the button held in the OFF Position and then turn off the ignition the EPB should stay disengaged.

Simon. Please can we bring back manual handbrake levers and oil dipsticks! Keep life simple. Mr T . Rex.

lol , presumably every manufacturer has some complicated method .. surprised most recovery trucks nowadays don't just have a set of wheel dollies

Hi 👋 very nice 👌 👌❤️❤️🙏🙏🇬🇧

If you've had an accident (blame or not) the car could be undriveable due to the damage sustained and surely the recovery driver would use skid plates to drag into the truck bed or if bad enough they'd crane it.

In the Discovery 3 it’s very simple. Pop up the rubber cover next to the gear knob and pull the steel cable with a screwdriver 🪛 (very strongly) Why did they make it so complicated (?)

Classic example of a vehicle manufacturer having to invent an over complicated process to cover their ass for all the morons out there saying "my car ran away and it's your fault car manufacturer).........................for chirst sake

Simon if you have to sit in the car anyway with the engine running, can you not just put it in neutral with the handbrake off? @L663

Is this the only way to leave the car in neutral? This would be a dealbreaker for me. I usually leave my car in neutral in the garage, handbrake off, and push it back and forth a bit to get to some storage on the wall its tight against. May sound a bit odd to some, but it works great for me. Does this mean I couldn't do that with a new defender?

Seems counterintuitive especially as Land Rover often need much recovery you’d think it would be an easy to manage process, interesting all the same

Right… so you need to have the engine running, do a especial routine to change from parking to neutral… something that you can normally do just by pushing the gear lever once…. makes a lot o sense…

I see you have the flappy paddles on both your Defenders now, is there a video coming for installation? Also I know they need enabling but I am on the Beta for the IID so hopefully it comes soon.

Oh dear, oh dear. I love your videos Simon, they are entertaining and your presentation is excellent but I never want to be saddled with one of these electronic, IT controlled bundles of plastic crap. I am 74 years old and although I am computer literate (I am a retired academic scientist) I find that this sort of driving is very daunting. As a young man I was into fast Fords and before I moved abroad in 1997 I had an Escort RS Turbo (highly tuned) and was considering an Escort Cosworth just before they became illegal. For the past 25 years I have owned three Defender 90's and my current vehicle is a TD5 90 Hard Top which is 17 years old and has only 76k miles on the clock. It is a PROPER car and I would not swap it for a new Defender. This latest video just illustrates how stupidly idiotic modern car development has become. I have been interested in the Grenadier but the launch of this vehicle is a total mess. I would probably buy one if they produced a short wheel base version but that now seems unlikely. And, don't get me started on electric vehicles, I would prefer to have a donkey. Keep up the good work.

As long as the engine cranks then it will go into neutral using that procedure.

I have a 2023 defender. I had one key fob that was stolen - I could not get it towed today because the driver couldn’t figure out how to override - is there a way to override to neutral without the keyfob?

What steering wheel is that on the last defender?

So how do I do my l494? Saw some videos where you go down through the console but I don't have a pull up strap there

I have an evoque 2016 is it the same

Andrew St Pierre White's recent video talks about this and how you can't even tow the Defender more than 30mile or over 30mph, not good in the middle of noware or if a recovery truck can't get near you. Way to much tech in the new Defender to make it useful in remote locations. The Defender story he tells, broken down in the outback simply because the owner opened the door to many times while they where camping for a few days, killing the battery, which then couldn't be jump started because a dealer needed to plug a laptop in to reset the car. Crazy.

Do you know how the Velar work as well? New model now don't have the handbrake button at all.

What is this nonsense?! Land Rovers don’t ever break down…do they?

This is ridicules. I have a 2020 Defender and the fact that you have to disassemble the brakes to release the parking break if you can't stat the engine is just so stupid. What happens if you are out wheeling somewhere and get in a situation where you can not start the engine for the battery is dead? I guess I will still keep my 80 series Land Cruiser around for when the digital world collapses.

who the hell would buy one--- i sure wont be, what a dreadful design