Should You Engage the Handbrake or Shift to Neutral First?
1 Answers
When parking, you can either engage the handbrake first or shift to neutral first. Both automatic and manual transmission vehicles have a neutral gear. Once shifted into neutral, the engine's power cannot be transmitted to the wheels, and the vehicle will not move. Relevant details are as follows: 1. Methods: Both P (Park) and neutral can be used when parking, but there are some differences between them. When shifted into P, the locking mechanism inside the automatic transmission will lock the transmission's wheels, effectively locking the vehicle's wheels indirectly. In this state, the car cannot move even without engaging the handbrake. When shifted into neutral, there is no locking mechanism to secure the transmission gears, so the vehicle can still move if the handbrake is not engaged. 2. Automatic Transmission: The neutral gear in an automatic transmission is used for short stops without turning off the engine, while P is used when parking and turning off the engine. If you do not shift into P when parking, the car cannot be turned off normally. After shifting into P, always engage the handbrake; otherwise, excessive force may be applied to the P locking mechanism in the automatic transmission, potentially causing damage to it.