Should You Shift Gears or Release the Handbrake First When Parking an Automatic Transmission Car
2 Answers
When parking an automatic transmission car, you should shift to P (Park) first before releasing the handbrake. The specific reasons are as follows: 1. Many car owners are accustomed to only shifting to P when parking, which may not cause issues on flat ground, but it's absolutely not acceptable on slopes. In an automatic transmission, the P position has a pawl and gear mechanism at the end of the output shaft. When the transmission is shifted to P, the pawl presses down and engages with the gear, achieving a locking effect. 2. If you attempt to push the car while it's only in P, the vehicle can move slightly. This is because there is a significant engagement gap between the pawl and the gear. Additionally, the P position pawl and gear have a self-protection mechanism: once the pushing force reaches a certain level, the pawl will disengage to avoid damaging the transmission.
Having driven for decades, my experience tells me that parking must involve shifting into gear before releasing the handbrake—this habit protects the automatic transmission. I remember when I was young, parking on a slope, I forgot the sequence, and the car almost rolled downhill. From then on, I deeply understood the role of the P gear. The P gear is like a lock, securing the gears to prevent the car from moving. If you release the handbrake first, the entire weight of the car rests on the transmission, and over time, the gears and shafts wear out, leading to costly and time-consuming repairs. This risk is especially greater on inclined surfaces. So, every time, after coming to a complete stop, I press the brake, shift into P gear, then slowly release the handbrake and check if the car is stable. Developing this habit keeps the car running like new even after years of use—safety always comes first.
