Can You Shift from N to P Without Pressing the Brake?
2 Answers
You can shift from N to P without pressing the brake. Below is some relevant information about gear shifting: Function: It allows the car to drive at a very low and stable speed, which is difficult to achieve solely by the internal combustion engine's minimum stable speed. The transmission's reverse gear enables the car to move backward, while the neutral gear allows the engine to be separated from the drivetrain for extended periods during engine startup, parking, or coasting. Operating Instructions: Start in 1st gear. When the tachometer needle reaches around 2000 RPM, shift to 2nd gear. Then, when the tachometer reaches around 2000 RPM again, shift to 3rd gear. Next, observe the speedometer. When the speedometer needle points to around 40 mph, shift to 4th gear. At this point, the car can drive for a while. Then, when the speedometer needle points to around 60 mph, you can shift to the highest gear, 5th gear.
Once a mechanic told me that it's actually possible to shift an automatic transmission car from neutral to park without pressing the brake, but I never dare to do it now. The main reason is that when the car hasn't completely stopped, such as on a slope or uneven ground, shifting into park causes the transmission's parking pawl to abruptly engage with a loud metallic clunk. My old Toyota suffered from this and cost over 3,000 yuan to repair. While occasionally doing this for short-distance moves might be fine, over time the locking mechanism can deform and seize up. The correct procedure is to firmly press the brake until fully stopped before shifting to park, so the transmission doesn't suffer damage.
