Should You Engage the Handbrake First or Shift to P Gear First?
1 Answers
Generally, it is acceptable to either engage the handbrake first or shift to P gear first. Below is a detailed explanation: 1. The principle of engaging the handbrake in P gear is similar to that in N gear: In P gear mode, the car's transmission and engine are completely disconnected, and the transmission's pawl and ratchet engage with each other, using this engagement force to provide the parking braking force, preventing the vehicle from moving. 2. Shifting to P gear first does not affect the transmission: For example, automakers like Peugeot state in their vehicle manuals that after the vehicle stops, the gear lever can be shifted to either P gear or N gear. 3. For some models, directly shifting to P gear when parking is more convenient: Generally, the automatic parking function uses ESP braking to keep the vehicle stationary, so releasing the brake will not cause the car to roll.