Correct Starting and Parking Procedures for the Outlander Automatic Transmission
2 Answers
First, turn on the vehicle's power (note: do not start the engine yet). Next, press the brake pedal and shift to N (Neutral) before starting the ignition (important: not P (Park) position). After that, shift from N to D (Drive), release the parking brake, and lift your foot off the brake pedal to successfully start moving. For parking: First, press the brake pedal to decelerate until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. Once stopped, quickly shift to N (Neutral), then engage the parking brake while simultaneously releasing the foot brake. After confirming the vehicle is securely parked, press the foot brake again, shift to P (Park) position, and finally turn off the engine.
When starting off, I'm accustomed to first walking around the car to check tire conditions. After settling into the driver's seat and adjusting it properly, I press the brake pedal fully to start the engine. Once the dashboard self-check completes, the Outlander's idle speed drops noticeably. At this point, I press the gearshift button with my right hand to engage D mode. When releasing the electronic parking brake, listen carefully for the unlocking 'click' sound. Gently lift the brake pedal to let the car creep naturally before gradually applying throttle - this ensures smooth power transition. When I first drove this vehicle, I used to shift and go immediately. Later, after experiencing rollback on slopes, I learned to wait for stable idle speed - especially important on icy ramps in northeastern winter underground parking lots. Now I always wait those extra 2-3 seconds for the AWD system to fully prepare.
