Should I Shift to P Gear Before or After Turning Off the Engine?
2 Answers
Both methods—turning off the engine before shifting to P gear or shifting to P gear before turning off the engine—are correct and will not cause any damage to the vehicle. Modern car transmissions are equipped with two sets of gears: one for driving and shifting, and the other for parking and locking. When parking, as long as the vehicle is stationary, the locking gears are not engaged, and the driving gears are inactive. The P (Park) gear works by using a mechanical device to lock the rotating parts of the car, preventing it from moving. For long-term parking, it is essential to firmly engage the handbrake and shift the gear to P.
Last time I specifically consulted a veteran mechanic at the 4S店 about this issue. He asked me to imagine the gear latch in the transmission. If you shift to P挡 before turning off the engine when parking, all the impact force from vehicle movement will be entirely borne by the transmission. My habit is: brake to a complete stop → shift to N挡 → engage the handbrake → release the foot brake to let the car settle naturally → finally press the brake and shift to P挡 before turning off the engine. This way, the handbrake takes the initial force, protecting the transmission gears. However, the old technician said that occasionally getting the sequence wrong is no big deal—transmissions aren’t that fragile—but developing good habits can extend their lifespan. This procedure is especially important when parking on slopes. Once, I forgot to engage the handbrake on a mall ramp and shifted directly to P挡; when restarting, the transmission made a loud 'clunk' noise that scared me half to death.
