What is the shutdown sequence for an automatic transmission car?

[LaAlessandra]

Automatic transmission shutdown sequence is as follows: 1. Straighten the steering wheel. 2. Turn off all electrical equipment, windows and sunroof. 3. Press the foot brake and shift the gear to N. 4. Turn the key to shut off the engine. 5. Shift the gear to P, turn the key back and pull it out. 6. Pull the handbrake and release the foot brake. 7. Get off the car, close the door and lock it. Automatic transmission driving precautions: 1. When waiting at a red light, you can temporarily stop and keep the brake pressed in D gear according to your habit, which won't damage the car. This is because the torque converter in the transmission has a reaction wheel with a one-way clutch, whose function is to amplify the torque from the engine crankshaft. It won't rotate at engine idle speed and only works when engine speed increases. 2. You can freely switch between forward gears while driving. Although these gears limit the maximum achievable gear, you can switch freely as long as the gear matches the speed. 3. When starting to move, you can only shift the gear lever out of P or N gear into driving gear after pressing the brake pedal. The car will move slowly after releasing the brake pedal.

[Cassidy]

When I first started driving an automatic transmission car, I also researched the shutdown sequence. It's actually quite simple but the steps are crucial. After parking, don't shift to P immediately—keep your foot on the brake, shift to N, engage the handbrake, then release the foot brake. At this point, the car is completely stationary. Press the brake again, shift to P, and finally press the start button to turn off the engine. Remember never to shift directly to P and turn off the engine on a slope, as this puts stress on the transmission and can damage the gears over time. If you smell a burning odor after shutting down, check immediately—it might be due to forgetting to release the brake, causing the brake pads to overheat. Developing good habits can also extend the battery's life and prevent the headlights from flickering due to low power during the next startup.

[AryaLynn]

The most crucial aspect of turning off an automatic transmission car is to avoid damaging the transmission. The correct procedure is to stop the car, press the brake, shift to N (Neutral) first, let the handbrake bear the weight of the entire vehicle, and then shift to P (Park) before turning off the engine. Many people take the shortcut of directly shifting to P and turning off the engine. While this may not cause immediate issues, parking on a slope can jam the transmission pawl, and repairing it can be costly. My car has been running for ten years without any transmission problems, all thanks to strictly following the procedure every time: stop the car completely, shift to N, engage the handbrake, release the foot brake, shift to P, and then turn off the engine. As a side note, for cars with auto start-stop function, it’s best to turn off the auto start-stop before shutting down the engine on flat ground to avoid battery wear.

[VanAnastasia]

Stopping an automatic transmission car isn't that complicated, just remember these four steps: After braking to a stop, shift to neutral, engage the handbrake and release the foot brake, then press the brake pedal to shift to P before turning off the engine. I always make a final check of the dashboard to ensure all lights are off. It's even simpler with keyless start cars - just shift to P and turn off the engine, the system will automatically engage the handbrake, though you should still use neutral to release tension on uneven ground. By the way, if your car has auto hold, remember to deactivate it before turning off the engine, otherwise the car might roll when you start it next time.