Should You Engage the Handbrake or Shift to P First When Starting an Automatic Transmission Car?
1 Answers
The safest way to start an automatic transmission car is: press the foot brake, shift to D gear, release the handbrake before releasing the foot brake, and finally press the accelerator to start. For some automatic transmission models equipped with an electronic handbrake, it will automatically disengage when the doors are closed, seat belts are fastened, and the accelerator is lightly pressed while the engine is idling. Below is an introduction to automatic transmission cars: How the P Gear Works: The letter 'P' in P gear stands for 'Park,' meaning the parking gear. In any automatic transmission, when in P gear, a pawl mounted on the transmission housing engages with internal gears, locking the entire transmission's drivetrain components. This secures the car's entire drivetrain, preventing the vehicle from rolling if the handbrake is forgotten. Handbrake: The handbrake works by activating the braking system, which locks the wheels to keep the vehicle stationary. If you shift to P gear first and then engage the handbrake, the task of securing the vehicle falls on the transmission's pawl and gear engagement, meaning the internal moving parts of the automatic transmission are under tension. Conversely, if you engage the handbrake first and then shift to P gear, the entire braking task is handled by the braking system, with P gear only providing auxiliary braking. In this case, all internal moving parts remain completely relaxed.
