Park release apparatus and method of use

A park release apparatus for shifting a transmission of a vehicle having an engine from park to neutral with the engine not running via a park release lever of the transmission, the apparatus comprising:

• a transmission assembly having a transmission assembly body for selective operable installation on the transmission spaced from the park release lever;
• a handle assembly having a handle assembly body comprising a pivotable or rotatable handle operably installed on a handle assembly body first wall formed with a handle grip opposite the handle to facilitate pivoting the handle as by squeezing the handle toward the grip;
• a cable assembly having a cable slidably installed within a sheath and a first connector coupling the sheath to the transmission assembly and an opposite second connector coupling the sheath to a handle assembly body second wall of the handle assembly, the cable operably interfacing with the transmission assembly adjacent a cable first end and operably interfacing with the handle assembly adjacent a cable second end;
• and
• a release bracket having a release bracket body configured for being selectively coupled to the cable first end and further configured for selectively engaging the park release lever, whereby in use with the transmission assembly installed on the transmission and the release bracket engaged with the park release lever selective actuation of the handle of the handle assembly shifts the cable second end and thereby increases tension on the cable and shifts the cable first end and thus the coupled release bracket so as to in turn shift the transmission park release lever via the coupled release bracket and take the transmission of the vehicle out of park and into neutral;
• wherein the handle is configured to frictionally engage a separate handle release that is also pivotally installed on the handle assembly body first wall offset from the handle, the handle release serving to selectively engage and lock the handle in an actuated position against a handle spring configured to bias the handle away from the handle grip and thus bias the handle open and the cable toward the transmission assembly, whereby during use the apparatus is biased toward the handle being opened and thus effectively toward the transmission being in park, whereas the transmission can be shifted out of park and temporarily or selectively locked in neutral as by actuating the handle and the handle being locked against the biasing effect of the handle spring by the handle release.