Should You Engage the Gear or Release the Handbrake First When Starting an Automatic Transmission Car?

[StColeman]

When starting an automatic transmission car, engage the gear first and then release the handbrake. The safe starting procedure is: press the foot brake, shift to D gear, release the handbrake, then release the foot brake, and finally press the accelerator to start. Some automatic transmission models are equipped with an electronic handbrake. For most models, when the doors are closed, seat belts are fastened, and the engine is idling, lightly pressing the accelerator will automatically release the electronic handbrake. For manual transmission models with an electronic handbrake, the system will also automatically release the electronic handbrake during startup based on the coordination between the accelerator and clutch. Cars equipped with ESP have an 'Auto' button, which is the ESP's automatic parking function. The ESP control system can automatically detect the vehicle body and wheel torque to determine whether braking is needed to prevent rolling.