Should You Engage the Handbrake or Shift to Neutral First When Parking a Car?
1 Answers
Whether to engage the handbrake or shift to neutral first when parking a car depends on whether it's a manual or automatic transmission. Below is relevant information for manual and automatic transmission cars: Manual transmission models: When parking a manual transmission car, first engage the handbrake, then shift to neutral. Automatic transmission models: When parking an automatic transmission car, first shift to neutral, then engage the handbrake. After shifting to neutral and engaging the handbrake, wait for the car to come to a complete stop before shifting to Park (P), turning off the engine, exiting the vehicle, and locking the doors. Engaging the handbrake first is to secure the car. If on an incline and you shift to neutral without engaging the handbrake first, forgetting to press the brake pedal could result in the car rolling.