What is the best parking procedure for an automatic transmission?

[NaomiLee]

The best parking procedure for an automatic transmission is: 1. Flat road: After coming to a complete stop with the foot brake, engage the parking brake, shift to neutral, release the foot brake, then quickly shift to P (Park) and turn off the engine; 2. Slope: On an incline, engaging just the parking brake may allow the vehicle to roll slightly. If you shift to P during this rolling gap, it may cause the transmission's parking pawl to jam. Instead, keep the foot brake pressed until the vehicle is fully stopped, engage the parking brake while in N (Neutral), then slowly release the foot brake. You may feel slight movement as the vehicle settles, then shift to P once completely stationary. An automatic transmission eliminates the need for manual gear shifting by automatically selecting appropriate gears based on driving speed and traffic conditions. Most automatic transmission vehicles have six gear positions, arranged from top to bottom as: P (Park), R (Reverse), N (Neutral), D (Drive), S (Sport), and L (Low).

[LeAdrian]

The parking procedure actually requires some attention to detail. First, firmly press the brake pedal to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. At this point, don't rush to shift into Park (P). Instead, you should first shift into Neutral (N), engage the parking brake, then release the foot brake, and finally shift into Park (P) before turning off the engine. This method relieves pressure from the transmission gears, which is particularly important when parking on slopes. Otherwise, the transmission's locking mechanism can get excessively strained. If done repeatedly over time, it can cause damage to the transmission. Once, I didn't follow this procedure on a steep slope, and when I returned to the car, the gearshift lever was stuck and made creaking noises. The mechanic said it was caused by incorrect parking habits. While automatic transmission cars may seem simple, neglecting these details can lead to expensive repairs.

[SpencerLynn]

Here's my usual procedure for parking an automatic transmission car: After the vehicle comes to a complete stop, keep the foot brake pressed, shift to neutral first, then firmly pull up the handbrake or press the electronic parking brake button. When you feel the car body slightly settle, release the foot brake. Then, press the foot brake again to shift into P gear and turn off the engine. Don't underestimate this sequence—if you shift directly into P gear before applying the handbrake, the entire weight of the car will rest on the transmission's parking pawl, especially when parked on a slope. I forgot to follow this sequence a few times, and the next morning, there was a loud clunk from the transmission when starting—it really hurt to hear. Remember to check if all windows are fully closed before turning off the engine to avoid getting caught in midnight rain.

[Bonnie]

For automatic transmission parking, I've summarized a three-step process: After stopping the car by pressing the brake, immediately shift to the N (Neutral) position; firmly pull up the handbrake; wait until the vehicle comes to a complete stop, then press the brake to shift to P (Park) and turn off the engine. The key is to let the handbrake bear the vehicle's weight first, rather than having the transmission gears withstand the gravitational force. This sequence must be strictly followed, especially when parking on slopes, to avoid damaging the transmission locking mechanism. In winter, I wait for the engine to idle for half a minute before turning it off to allow the turbo temperature to decrease slightly. During summer parking, it's important to avoid direct sunlight to prevent interior aging.