'Am I Just an Idiot?:' Woman Drives Infiniti to Car Wash. Then She Tries to Put It In Neutral
Older cars made shifting into neutral a simple halfway stop. But in today’s tech-heavy vehicles, even a basic gear shift can feel like cracking a video game cheat code. The Infiniti driver in a viral TikTok clip found out the hard way, stuck between technology and a line of cars behind her.
Frustrated driver Kayla (@the_jakks) sounds like she’s at her wits’ end in the clip, having no luck getting her car’s transmission to shift into the clearly labeled “N” on the gear shift.
“Am I just an idiot and I can't figure out, like, how to get my car in neutral?” she asks at the start of the clip, trying in vain to unlock the puzzle of her transmission.
As often happens on TikTok, the serious plea quickly turned into a comedy showcase. Instead of offering practical tips, commenters suggested a string of keyboard commands straight out of IT troubleshooting. “Press control + alt + delete,” one wrote. Others followed up with “maybe try Alt+F4,” “Fn + F5,” or even the full Konami Code made famous in video games.
One commenter quipped, “Just unplug it,” while another warned that she might “take a screenshot” instead of shifting into gear. It was the kind of collective riffing that turns a relatable moment into a viral one, blending car culture with internet meme culture. The video’s reach had less to do with mechanical troubleshooting and more to do with the universal frustration of overcomplicated design.
Why Neutral Isn’t So Simple Anymore
The laughter covers up a real automotive pain point: neutral isn’t always straightforward in modern cars. Traditional vehicles used mechanical linkages, so sliding from drive into neutral was intuitive; you could feel it click into place. But Infiniti, like many brands, now uses “shift-by-wire” technology that electronically sends signals to the transmission.
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The upside is space saving interior design and smoother packaging. The downside is that drivers lose tactile feedback and must instead rely on visual cues from the dash or infotainment. Consumer Reports has flagged confusing gear selectors as a persistent source of complaints, noting that unfamiliar layouts can create dangerous situations when drivers think they’ve shifted but haven’t.
This isn’t just an annoyance. In 2016, Fiat Chrysler recalled 1.1 million vehicles because their electronic shifters led to hundreds of rollaway incidents and dozens of injuries. While Infiniti hasn’t faced that level of scrutiny, the frustration in Kayla’s video is part of the same broader story: technology meant to modernize the driving experience sometimes makes it harder to perform basic tasks.
Naturally, the clip sparked a secondary debate: the superiority of traditional gear selectors. “Column shifter for life!!!” one commenter wrote, while another proudly declared, “Manual for life.”
That divide cuts to the heart of the issue. In manual cars, neutral is obvious because the stick floats freely in the middle of the H-pattern. Even old-school automatics had gated shifters that made it physically impossible to mistake one gear for another. Modern electronic shifters, whether they’re dials, buttons, or spring-loaded joysticks, often rely on lights and chimes to confirm your choice.
Car and Driver has called these systems needlessly complex in the past, especially when drivers can no longer trust muscle memory. For enthusiasts, the tactile simplicity of older designs is part of what made driving satisfying and predictable.
The Car Wash Conundrum
Nowhere does this confusion surface more often than in conveyor car washes. Employees chimed in on Kayla’s video to admit that her struggle was a daily reality. “Coming from a car wash employee, I HATE these gear shifters or anything like this,” one wrote. Another advised customers to simply tell attendants they’ll need help finding neutral.
Other drivers added their own horror stories. One Pacifica owner said the van’s rotary dial leaves attendants convinced the car isn’t in neutral even when it is. Another commenter admitted they avoid car washes altogether to escape the embarrassment.
The reality is that many of these cars do have workarounds. Some allow neutral only if the driver avoids pressing the shift button, while others require auto-hold or the electronic parking brake to be disengaged first. Infiniti and Nissan models also typically include a manual override. Though the instructions are buried in the owner’s manual, as one commenter joked, “open the glove box… there is a book inside… it will tell you.”
Kayla’s clip reflects a deeper tension in the auto industry between sleek design and everyday usability. Automakers are chasing minimalist interiors and futuristic controls, but as Car and Driver put it, these systems can “confound drivers in the simplest scenarios.”
That’s why this video resonated so widely. It wasn’t just about one woman in one Infiniti at one car wash. It was about anyone who’s ever sat in a modern car and thought, “Why is this so complicated?”
Motor1 reached out to Kayla via email. We’ll update this if she responds.
