What is the correct sequence for shutting down and parking an automatic transmission vehicle?
1 Answers
Automatic transmission shutdown and parking sequence: Brake and shift to N gear, engage the electronic parking brake, release the brake pedal, shift to P gear, and then turn off the engine. Directly turning off the engine while shifting into P gear can damage the vehicle's transmission and engine. When an automatic transmission vehicle is shifted into P gear first, the locking mechanism and transmission are already engaged. At this point, applying the parking brake becomes ineffective, and prolonged practice of this can harm the transmission, especially noticeable on slopes. After shifting into P gear and then applying the parking brake, you may still feel slight vehicle movement. The P gear function is similar to the gear-lock feature in manual transmission vehicles, serving only as an auxiliary braking mechanism. Starting and temporary stopping procedures for automatic transmission vehicles: Vehicle starting: When starting the vehicle, ensure the gear is in P or N position. First turn the key to the ON position to check all dashboard indicator lights for normal operation. Then press the brake pedal and shift into N gear to start the ignition. When the engine speed drops below 1000 RPM, shift into D gear for normal driving. Temporary stopping: Temporary stops mainly occur at traffic lights. For short waiting periods, you may keep the gear in D while holding the brake pedal. For extended waiting times, shift into N gear while maintaining brake pressure.