Parking in N Gear with Handbrake or P Gear with Handbrake?
5 Answers
Parking with P Gear and handbrake. The following is an introduction to automatic transmission: Classification: Automatic transmission, as the name suggests, does not require the driver to manually shift gears. The vehicle will automatically select the appropriate gear based on the driving speed and traffic conditions. Generally, there are six gear positions on an automatic transmission car, from top to bottom: P, R, N, D, S, L. Operation: Driving an automatic transmission car only requires the use of parking gear P, reverse gear R, neutral gear N, and drive gear D to fully meet the needs of general driving. If encountering some special driving environments, other functional gears need to be used. Therefore, if the correct operation and control method can be chosen, an automatic transmission car can perform better than a manual transmission.
I usually shift to neutral and engage the handbrake first when parking, a method I learned from veteran drivers. After the car comes to a complete stop, I shift to neutral to let the handbrake take the load, waiting until the vehicle stops rocking before shifting to park and turning off the engine. This is especially important on slopes—shifting directly to park puts the entire vehicle's weight on that tiny parking pawl in the transmission, like making someone shoulder a sack of grain. My old car's transmission stayed problem-free for ten years using this routine, and I maintain the same procedure with my new SUV. Though it adds about ten seconds each time, it's well worth it compared to the cost of major transmission repairs.
The driving school instructor was very meticulous when teaching me the parking sequence: press the brake pedal firmly and shift to N, pull the handbrake tight and release the foot brake, wait until the car is firmly settled before pressing the brake again and shifting to P. He said this is because the handbrake cable is inherently designed to bear the load, while the transmission's parking pawl is actually quite delicate. Now I always follow this method when parking, especially in downhill parking lots at malls—never slacking off. Last week, the guy in the next spot just shifted to P and got out, and we watched as his car rolled half a meter and hit a pillar—tsk tsk. Developing this habit in daily car use is definitely the right move to avoid damaging the car.
Recommended parking steps: Shift to N gear, engage the handbrake, wait for two seconds to let the vehicle stabilize, and ensure the handbrake is fully engaged before shifting to P gear and turning off the engine. Directly shifting to P gear can cause premature wear on the transmission pawl, especially noticeable when parking on slopes, leading to a jerky feeling when shifting the next day. Mechanics say repairing such issues can cost several thousand yuan each time. Additionally, remember to wait an extra three to four seconds before turning off the engine to allow proper lubrication, which also benefits the lifespan of the automatic transmission.
From my own experience, there's little difference when parking on flat ground, but on slopes, you must engage N gear, apply the handbrake to stabilize, and then shift to P gear. The principle is that the handbrake provides even braking force distribution, while the P gear locking mechanism is just a small latch. Long-term heavy pressure can cause it to deform or even break. I've seen transmissions opened up at repair shops where the locking pin was worn down, requiring replacement of the entire assembly. Now, my parking routine is a habitual three-step process: brake to stop → shift to N and pull the handbrake → release the foot brake and wait until the car is stationary → step on the brake and shift to P. It's a few extra steps, but it gives peace of mind, at least eliminating the worry of rolling back and hitting the car behind, leading to compensation.
