Parking Brake Sequence After Parking?
2 Answers
For manual transmission cars when parking, first shift the gear to neutral, then tighten the handbrake. For automatic transmission cars when parking, first shift into P gear, then tighten the handbrake. For automatic transmission models, you can either pull the handbrake first or shift into P gear first when parking. For manual transmission models, you can also first depress the clutch pedal, then tighten the handbrake, and finally shift into neutral. Below are the steps for parking an automatic transmission car: 1. Release the accelerator, press the brake pedal, and bring the vehicle to a smooth stop; 2. Shift the gear from D to N; 3. Tighten the handbrake (for electronic handbrakes, simply pull up); 4. Release the foot brake, but do not turn off the power (the purpose is to confirm that the car is completely stopped under the effect of the handbrake, preventing P gear lock); 5. Continue pressing the foot brake, shift the gear from N to P; 6. Release the foot brake, press the start button, turn off the power, and the parking is complete.
After parking, my usual operating sequence is to first stop the car steadily by the side with the foot brake, then immediately pull up the handbrake. This way, the handbrake secures the wheels first, and then I release the foot brake to confirm the car doesn't move before shifting to P or neutral. When parking on a slope, I'm more careful: first, I turn the steering wheel to angle the wheels toward the curb as a secondary safeguard. After pulling up the handbrake, I wait a moment to see if the car rolls. If there's no issue, I then operate the gear shift. For manual transmissions, I engage first gear or reverse to increase resistance. Decades of experience as a seasoned driver have taught me that this sequence protects the transmission, preventing it from bearing the full weight and causing wear, which saves on repair costs in the long run. Especially on rainy or icy days when the handbrake is prone to slipping, it's even more crucial to pull it up first. A common issue with city parking is forgetting the sequence, turning a minor roll into a major accident. That's why developing this habit is particularly important for me.