I wouldn't advertise the fact you left a four year old child in a running vehicle because it is likely AGAINST THE LAW in your state.

Florida Law:
FSS 316.6135 Leaving children unattended or unsupervised in motor vehicle; penalty; authority of law enforcement officer.

1. No parent, legal guardian, or other person responsible for a child younger than 6 years of age shall leave such child unattended or unsupervised in a motor vehicle for a period in excess of 15 minutes; however, no such person shall leave a child unattended for any period of time if the motor vehicle is running.
2. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection (1) is punishable by a fine of: not less than $50 and not more than $500 UNLESS the health of the child was in danger at the time of the violation.
3. Any law enforcement officer who observes a child left unattended or unsupervised in a motor vehicle in violation of subsection (1) may use whatever means are reasonably necessary to protect the minor child and to remove him from the vehicle.
4. If the child is removed the child shall be remanded to the custody of the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services pursuant to chapter 39.

In the state of California it is known as Kaitlyn’s Law and you are in violation even if the engine is off but the keys are in the ignition. The penalties are also among the most severe in the country.


As far as an answer to your question goes: NO, the shifter should not be able to be engaged without depressing the brake. Either there is an issue or you didn't have it "locked" in the Park position...

 

My truck is a 2002 and I most definitely have to press the brakes to move it out of park. Sometimes I get ahead of myself while pressing the brake/ trying to shift at the same time and the shifter hangs up and I actually have to move it back up then try again. As an aside, I have a 4 year old and do not leave her out of my eyesite when in the house, much less a running vehicle. Too much can happen not even related to her pulling the truck into gear.

 

Can someone delete this thread then?

 

Please title the thread with the subject of help needed

It sounds like your truck is not fully shifting into gears and just sitting close to either way...when it's in a gear wiggle the shifter to see if you can get it in gear once in park and then try to shift without the brake

 

Well ya know we should cut the guy some slack. He made a mistake from poor judgement and im really guessing or hoping he's had a lesson learned. Now instead of telling him how terrible of a person he is lets try and help him out so something doesnt happen to him or others using his truck if there is a problem.
On that note i know that in my 02 sometimes the gear shift doesnt go fully into the correct locked slot on the column even tho the tranny may have engaged into the correct gear it may not be locked on the column. Make sure that the P indicator is fully lit or boxed and the gear shift is pushed into place n locked. Might even help to wiggle it a bit n check n see if its not fully locking.

 

I put it in park a wiggled it around as much as I could, and it never locked. Upon further play, I put it in drive, and without using the brake, I can go into reverse too. Something is wrong here. Yes, lesson well learned, unbuckle kids and take them in. Can't take chances.

 

Okay well sounds like a issue that you should call dodge about and they might would fix it, threaten to take it to the news and that it could have killed your kid....

I'd take the case if I heard that

 

And to think I've been looking for ways to disable that because it annoys the **** out of me (then again I don't have any munchkins, either).

 

I am not sure whether to push this, because, as stated, I shouldn't have left the child in the car. But, I will go to the Dodge dealership tomorrow to talk to them about it, because, this could be a dangerous issue.

 

I, for one, wasn't picking on the OP, but was quoting the law here in Florida. I'm sure most states have a similar law regarding leaving children unattended in vehicles.

It was obvious to me that the OP was unaware that such an act was a crime and that if deemed to have caused harm to the child (as could have happened here) he might have been subject to more than just a fine.

There was no malice intended on my part...