What does it mean when the transmission is not in P gear?
2 Answers
The transmission not being in P gear means the gear lever has not been shifted to the P position. When you stop and open the door, you will receive such a prompt as a safety precaution. Engaging P gear before the car comes to a complete stop can subject the transmission's locking function to significant pressure, which may cause considerable damage to the transmission over time. Excessive force could potentially lead to transmission failure, so this operation is not recommended. Below is relevant information: 1. There are two key points to note when parking an automatic transmission car: (1) Do not shift into P gear while the engine is running. (2) Apply the handbrake first, then shift into P gear, allowing the force to act on the handbrake rather than the transmission. 2. The correct parking method: (1) When stopping the car, first decelerate, press the brake, and shift into N gear. The reason for not directly switching to P gear before turning off the engine is to avoid the transmission passing through R gear while the engine is running, thereby reducing an impact. (2) Turn off the engine. At this point, the power will not be cut off because P gear has not been engaged, and the key cannot be removed. (3) Tighten the handbrake and release the foot brake.
Speaking of the issue of the transmission not being in the P (Park) position, I've encountered it myself while driving an automatic car. Once, after parking, I forgot to shift into P, and the car slowly rolled on a slightly inclined road, which was quite scary. The P position is the parking gear, and its function is to lock the transmission gears to prevent the vehicle from moving unexpectedly. If you don't shift into P, the car may roll or fail to start, which can be due to the gear lever not being properly operated, mechanical jamming, or electronic sensor failure. Doing this long-term can wear out the shifting mechanism and even damage the transmission, increasing repair costs. I once had to repair a similar issue myself—it was a faulty sensor, and it cost me some money to fix. Since then, I've made it a habit to always check for the 'P' indicator on the dashboard before turning off the engine, significantly reducing this risk. Regularly maintaining the transmission fluid can also help prevent jamming issues.
