Should You Engage the Handbrake or Shift to P First After Parking?
2 Answers
After parking, you should shift to P first and then engage the handbrake. The correct method to engage the handbrake is: 1. Press the handbrake button while pulling it up; 2. Apply gentle force when pulling the handbrake; 3. The handbrake should be engaged to about 70% of its full range—pulling it all the way to the top will shorten the lifespan of the handbrake cable. The function of the handbrake is to provide braking when parking on flat ground or slopes, preventing the vehicle from moving unintentionally and avoiding traffic accidents. The dangers of forgetting to engage the handbrake include: 1. The brake pump may fail to provide sufficient braking force, causing the engine to stall; 2. Accelerated wear of the brake disc and hardening of the brake pads due to friction heat; 3. Stretching of the handbrake cable; 4. Potential leakage of brake fluid, leading to brake failure.
Last time at the repair shop, the mechanic said this is quite particular. For automatic transmission cars, after coming to a complete stop, first press the brake firmly and shift to N (Neutral), wait until the car is completely stationary, then engage the handbrake tightly, release the foot brake to transfer the braking force to the handbrake, and finally shift to P (Park). The mechanic pointed at the transmission and said shifting directly to P can jam the parking pawl gear, especially when parking on a slope, the transmission gears will be under stress. With accumulated metal fatigue, that positioning pin will eventually fail. I've been doing it this way for three years, and the transmission hasn't made that 'click' noise during hill starts anymore. Remember to straighten the steering wheel when parking on a slope, in case the car rolls, it can catch the curb.
