Can a car be turned off without shifting to P gear?
2 Answers
A car can be turned off without shifting to P gear, but it may damage the transmission and engine. It is recommended to shift to P gear before parking and turning off the engine. The P gear mechanically locks the output shaft of the transmission to secure the car, preventing it from moving. If the car is turned off without shifting to P gear on uneven ground, it may move slightly. This happens because the P gear transmission has a locking mechanism that engages with the transmission gears. Any movement at this point can cause impact to the transmission gears, leading to slight forward movement of the car. The P gear is a common gear in automatic transmission vehicles, usually located at the frontmost position of the gear shift console, ahead of the R gear, designed to lock the axle and keep the car stationary on slopes.
You can actually turn off the car without shifting to P gear, which I've learned from years of driving experience. Theoretically, the engine will stop, and the car can be shut down, but it just doesn't feel right when operating. For example, if you turn off the car in other gears, the vehicle might shake slightly, and the transmission could suffer impact. Once, I was in a hurry and turned off the car without shifting to P gear—the car shook violently, warning lights came on, and it gave me quite a scare. Doing this long-term can accelerate gear wear, and repairs can be costly. Most importantly, there's a safety risk: if parked on a slope without locking, the car could roll and cause an accident. Developing a good habit is simple—after stopping, firmly press the brake to stabilize the car, then shift to P gear, pull the handbrake tight, and finally turn off the engine. Don’t cut corners—details determine driving safety.
