What are the effects of pressing the accelerator in P gear on the car?
2 Answers
Pressing the accelerator in P gear has the following effects on the car: 1. Engine idling: When the car is stationary and the accelerator is pressed in P gear, it basically has no effect on the car. In P gear, the transmission shaft of the gearbox is locked, and the engine is separated from the gearbox at this time. The power will not be transmitted to the transmission shaft, only the engine is idling, the gear mechanism is running idle, and the car will not move. 2. Parking lock may break: If the accelerator is pressed in P gear while the car is moving, it is incorrect. The parking lock will engage into the wheel groove when shifted to P gear. If the car is moving, doing this will obviously cause the parking lock to break. In severe cases, it can cause significant damage to the gearbox, and the gearbox may even need to be replaced.
As someone who's been driving for years, I've noticed many beginners tend to floor the accelerator while in Park (P) mode, which actually causes significant damage to the vehicle. When you press the gas pedal while the car is in Park, the engine revs skyrocket, but since the transmission locks the wheels, the car doesn't move—it's like forcing the engine to run dry. Over time, this leads to engine overheating and accelerated wear, and the parking pawl (that little hook professionals call the parking pawl) gets constantly impacted, wearing out quickly. I remember seeing a car at the repair shop once where the owner frequently did this, resulting in severe parking pawl damage that cost thousands to fix. Safety-wise, it's even worse—if the brakes aren't fully engaged, the car could suddenly lurch, leading to serious accidents. Nowadays, I always remind my friends not to randomly press the accelerator when parked—it saves fuel and protects the car.
