Should You Shift to P Gear or Turn Off the Engine First When Parking an Automatic Car?
2 Answers
For an automatic car, you should shift to P gear before turning off the engine. The correct parking sequence is: press the brake pedal, shift to N gear, engage the handbrake, shift to P gear, release the brake pedal, and then turn off the ignition with the key. However, as transmission technology has become increasingly advanced, even if you turn off the engine before shifting to P gear, the impact on the car's transmission is minimal. It's important to note that whether you turn off the engine in P gear or N gear, you must firmly engage the handbrake before releasing the foot brake. Only by firmly applying the handbrake can you truly prevent the car from moving. The P gear functions similarly to shifting into first gear in a manual transmission to prevent the car from rolling. If you're parking for a short period, there's no need to shift to P gear. For example, when waiting at a traffic light, since the duration is brief, shifting to P gear would require restarting the car, which is time-consuming. In such cases, you can simply shift to N gear and engage the handbrake. When the light turns green, you can proceed directly from N gear. Additionally, if a car behind you collides with your car at this moment, the transmission may sustain some damage.
I've been driving automatic transmission cars for over a decade and found that the parking sequence absolutely cannot be wrong. The correct procedure is to shift into P gear after the car comes to a complete stop, then turn off the engine - this locks the transmission and prevents impact damage. Many people take shortcuts by turning off the engine first then shifting gears, which can jam the gears. Not only is this expensive to repair, but also causes inconvenience. A friend of mine ruined a car that way and has learned his lesson. When parking on slopes, be extra careful - engage the handbrake first before shifting to P gear to prevent rolling. Developing these habits saves repair costs and ensures safety. Details make all the difference.
