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'Just Wanted the Car on With A/C While I Ate My Whataburger:' Woman Drives New Hyundai. She's Furious at This Unprecedented Tech

'Girlllll- I'm sorry it's you... I love that on my Sonata!'

Woman drives a new Hyundai

Photo by: Unsplash.com

Stacy Fernandez

By: Stacy Fernandez

Dec 30, 2025 at 6:00am ET

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Renting an unfamiliar car can be a humbling experience. You spend an extra five minutes at the gas station trying to figure out where the lever is for the gas tank, you’re fumbling with buttons, and aren’t yet used to how sensitive (or non-responsive) the gas and brake pedal are. It’s a completely new vehicle, and getting used to it takes time.

But one woman's battle with her Hyundai rental turned a simple Whataburger run into an exercise in frustration because she couldn't figure out how to put the car in park.

Woman Baffled by Hyundai's Electronic Shifter

In a trending video, Jessi (@heyjessi) shares her confusion with a rented Hyundai with an unexpected gear shift design.

"Has anyone driven a brand-new Hyundai recently? I have questions. Specifically, like, what the [expletive] is this? This is the dumbest thing I've ever seen or tried to use in my life," she says in the video.

Jessi explains she rented the car instead of putting miles on her own vehicle for a Christmas trip home. But the car's gear shifter, which is a stick on the steering wheel, has left her completely bewildered.

"Let me tell you why this is so stupid, though. So when the car is on, right, you flip this up, and it goes into drive. Flip it down to the bottom, and it goes to reverse. When you put it back in the middle, it goes into [expletive] neutral. Not park, neutral," she explains.

This is where her frustration reaches a boiling point.

"And then a thing on the screen comes up, and it's like, ‘press and hold something to stay in neutral.’ No. I don't wanna be neutral at all. I wanna be in park, so I'm not gonna press that … in hopes of it, like, registering, ‘Oh, this person's trying to park,’" she continues.

But the car doesn't automatically shift to park just because she wants it to.

"Nope,” she says. “The car just keeps moving if your foot comes off the brake. And it's not until you hit the start-stop button again that it's like, ‘Oh, entering parking mode.’ Well, no [expletive]. I hope the car is parked. It's [expletive] off, Hyundai. I don't—what the [expletive]?"

She ends with a plea for validation.

"I need someone to tell me if I'm an idiot or if whoever made this decision is an idiot," she says.

In the caption, she adds context for why this mattered so much.

"I just wanted to have the car on with a/c while I ate my whataburger but I guess that was too much to ask??? Am I the problem??" she writes.

How Hyundai's Gear Shifter Actually Works

Here's the thing: the shifter has an arrow indicating that it’s the same position for neutral and park, and to park, you need to press the button on the shifter. Plus the button is labeled with a “P” for park. But based on the angle of the video, it seems Jessi didn’t see it.

According to Hyundai's owner's manual, to shift into park, you simply press the P button while pressing the brake pedal.

If you turn the engine off while in reverse, neutral, or drive, the vehicle automatically shifts to park. But if you want to keep the car running in park (say, to eat your Whataburger with the A/C on), you need to actually press the park button.

Electronic Shifters, Love ‘Em or Hate ‘Em

Jessi isn't alone in her frustration. According to discussions on Hyundai forums, reactions to electronic shifters are mixed.

Some owners report it takes months to adjust. One user on the Hyundai Tucson forum said, "After 9 months I've finally reached the point where I can use it without looking down, but I still have to think about it and confirm that I pressed the correct button."

Others appreciate the space-saving design and features.

"One advantage I find is that when you come to a stop in your garage or parking spot, simply push the start/stop button and the car will shift into park, apply the e-brake, unlock the driver's door as well as stopping the engine, all with the one simple push," one user noted on the Palisade forum.

The Autopian notes that Hyundai, Volkswagen, and several other automakers have embraced electronic column shifters as people crave more space in center consoles. Mercedes-Benz pioneered the modern column-mounted e-shifter design that many manufacturers now follow.

Commenters React

“Honestly, i just take my seatbelt off and open the door or turn the car off it puts itself in park,” a top comment read.

“It says push it in for park. The way you're parking is a safety feature,” a person said.

“So many different shifters now. This is my last favorite!!” another wrote.

What do you think?

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“The park is at the end of the shifter. Look at the picture. It’s pointing,” a commenter added.

Motor1 reached out to Jessi for comment via email and Instagram direct message and to Hyundai via email.

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