Can an automatic transmission car be parked in neutral?
2 Answers
Automatic transmission cars can be parked in neutral. Temporarily parking in N gear means neutral, also called short-term parking gear. When the car is parked without turning off the engine, such as waiting for someone or at a red light, shifting to N gear is beneficial for the clutch plates. Pulling the handbrake means you don't have to keep your foot on the brake pedal for a long time. If you need to turn off the car, you should shift to P gear (parking gear), which locks the gears and wheels together. Automatic transmission cars use a computer to control hydraulic oil to push pistons for gear shifting based on throttle position, vehicle speed, and throttle opening. They automatically select the appropriate gear according to driving speed and traffic conditions, independently controlling the gears to better match engine speed with gear position.
I've been driving automatic transmission cars for over ten years, and whether to shift into neutral when parking depends on the situation. For short stops like waiting at a red light, I always keep my foot on the brake and stay in D gear—it's quicker and more convenient when starting again. However, in heavy traffic where I'm stuck for more than ten minutes, I shift to N gear and engage the handbrake to give my right foot a rest. But I must warn everyone: parking in neutral on a slope is especially dangerous as the car can roll. Once, I left my car in N gear on a slope without the handbrake, and it rolled back half a meter—it gave me quite a scare. Now, if I'm stopping for more than a minute, I always shift directly into P gear; the mechanical lock in the transmission is the most reliable.