Why does the left rear wheel hit the left corner when reversing into the left parking space?
3 Answers
The specific reasons and solutions for the left rear wheel hitting the left corner when reversing into the left parking space are as follows: 1. Steering too early: If you start turning the steering wheel fully to the left before the lower edge of the rearview mirror aligns with the stop line, it can cause the left rear wheel to hit the left corner of the parking space. Solution: When you see the lower edge of the left rearview mirror align with the entrance line of the parking space, press the brake to stop the vehicle. 2. Keeping the steering wheel fully turned to the left: Before reversing into the parking space, you need to align the vehicle 1500-1800mm away from the road edge line (the distance between the car body and the road edge line should be 1500-1800mm), but it's not always possible to stop accurately every time. When you start reversing with the steering wheel fully turned to the left, observe the distance between the left rear wheel and the corner of the parking space in the left rearview mirror. If this distance is less than 300mm (less than 2 fingers in the mirror), you need to adjust the steering wheel to increase the distance. If you keep the steering wheel fully turned to the left, the wheel will hit the corner line. Solution: When reversing with the steering wheel fully turned to the left, if you see that the distance between the left rear wheel and the corner of the parking space is slightly less than 3mm, you can turn the steering wheel back half a turn. If the wheel is about to hit the corner, you can only straighten the steering wheel to increase the distance.
When I was learning to drive, I often hit the left corner during left reverse parking. The instructor said it was a steering wheel operation issue. Either I turned the wheel too early, before the car reached the entrance of the parking space, causing the wheels to scrape the corner; or I turned too late, making the car body tilt and unable to adjust, resulting in hitting the corner. Observation points are crucial—you need to watch the rearview mirror to see the position of the rear of the car. Ideally, you should slowly turn the wheel when the rear wheels are close to the corner. The speed should not be too fast either, or you won’t have time to react and will make more mistakes. Hitting the corner results in heavy deductions during the test. Practicing more in open spaces can improve your feel for it. I recorded videos with my phone to review my movements, and it worked well. Adjust your mindset and don’t get nervous—practice makes perfect. Repeatedly hitting corners may damage the tire edges, so regular checks are necessary.
When teaching reverse parking, I notice students frequently hit the left corner, mainly due to poor coordination between the steering point and speed. For example, turning too sharply after the car enters the spot, or starting too close to the parking space and directly hitting the corner. I advise students to watch the left rearview mirror and gently steer only when the parking corner appears in the mirror, leaving a safe distance. Maintain a steady speed, as going too fast can easily cause deviation. Using fixed reference points on the car can reduce errors, such as aligning the lower edge of the rearview mirror with the parking line before turning. Practice more on small turning radius operations. Hitting the corner not only deducts points but may also scratch the wheel rims. Remind them to regularly maintain tire pressure to prevent damage.
