Should I engage the parking brake when shifting to P in an automatic transmission?
1 Answers
You should engage the parking brake when shifting to P in an automatic transmission; otherwise, it may damage the locking mechanism of the P gear. Automatic transmission vehicles are equipped with a P gear, which is the parking gear used when stopping and turning off the engine. If you do not shift into P gear before stopping and turning off the engine, the car cannot be turned off normally. Automatic transmission vehicles also have an N gear, which is the neutral gear. When shifted into N gear, the connection between the transmission and the wheels is disconnected, meaning the engine's power cannot be transmitted to the wheels, so the car cannot move normally in N gear. When in N gear, there is no locking mechanism to secure the transmission gears, so the car can move if the parking brake is not engaged.