Parking on a hill with auto

[Shaman]

So I was wondering about the best way to park an automatic on an incline.

When does the parking brake need to be applied, before being put into park, or after being put into park, or after park and foot brake released?

 

[brianl703]

I would apply the parking brake before putting it into park. Otherwise, the car might roll and it'll be the parking "pawl" in the transmission that stops it. I vaguely recall that some transmissions might get stuck in Park under this condition. Getting them unstuck would require pushing the car up the hill so as to take the load off the pawl so it can be moved out of Park.

 

[brianl703]

Here's a link to a CarTalk where they discussed this:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1993/October/07.html

 

[T-Keith]

I've seen people that use their parking brake everywhere on their automatics. The only time I use it is when jacking the car. Heck my last manual didn't even have a working parking brake.

If your on a hill turn your tire so that if it does roll it hits the curb. Don't worry too much about the parking prawl, it's meant for holding the vehicle, I personally have never seen one brake or wear out.

-T

 

[Eddie]

I've seen many cars that had notches in the parking pawl due to using park while on a hill. Years ago Ford or ? said to use the emergency or parking brake to protect the transmission. If you have problems getting your AT out of park you probable have a burr on the pawl. I always set the brake and then put my car in park. Another benefit is you are keeping the brake cable from freezing up due to not using it. JMHO ed

 

[Eddie]

Another thought. Cars do slip out of park and can roll away, unless of course you have the wheel turned into the curb.

 

[TallPaul]

When I was a kid (18) I threw a car into park while going 30 mph. Made an awful racket, but didn't break the pawl.

 

[brianl703]

quote:

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Originally posted by T-Keith:
I've seen people that use their parking brake everywhere on their automatics. The only time I use it is when jacking the car. Heck my last manual didn't even have a working parking brake.

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Parking brakes can freeze up due to disuse and the Virginia safety inspection requires a working parking brake, so I don't think that'd be a good idea here or anywhere else that has a safety inspection.

 

[Willy_G]

Why is it called a parking brake?

 

[T-Keith]

No one said to never use it. Just that thinking that your saving the transmission is probably not that accurate.

Please explain how a car would "slip" out of park?

-T

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by Willy_G:
Why is it called a parking brake?

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Good question.

 

[JHZR2]

first, be sure the parking / emergency brake works with front and tail facing downwards (Ive had vehicles where it wouldhold 100% if your front was facing downhill, but would just squeal and slip if the tail is facing downwards.

I would set the parking brake with your foot firmly on the main brake. Then or cocurrently go into park. Dont let off of the main brake until the parking brake is solidly set.

I saw a new impalla parked on a hill once without the parking brake. It was a real tough time getting it out of park with all the vehicle's weight pressing against something that was inside.

I hate the feel of the roll-away when a car is put into park without the brake set... Makes me feel like something is bound to break.

JMH

 

[labman]

I don't know if any are still that way, but some rear disks used to have an adjustment mechanism that adjusted the rear brakes when you set the parking brake. Unused, it froze up. Big problem for flatlanders.

I haven't owned an automatic since 1981. I occasionally drive them. Sometimes when parked on a hill, it is hard to get it out of park. Prevent that by setting the parking brake and removing your foot from the brake before putting it in park. Turning the wheels toward the curb on a hill, manual or automatic, is one of these anal things that once in a great while you are glad you did.

Automatics will take a lot of abuse, but sometimes it catches up to you.

 

[Willy_G]

Next Question:

What sport does Baseball Player Sammy Sosa play?

 

[Tom300M]

quote:

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I hate the feel of the roll-away when a car is put into park without the brake set... Makes me feel like something is bound to break.

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I hate that too. I also hate the tough feeling when shifting out of park on hill with no parking brake on. I don't always use it, but on any noticeable incline I do. I like to set it by putting the car in neutral, pressing the parking brake, letting my foot off the standard brake pedal and then putting the car in park. That way, all the stress of holding the car is on the parking brake and none is parking pawl, so even on a really steep hill, shifting out of park is nice and smooth for me. Also you then know the parking brake is in 100% working order too, if it does in fact hold the car.

 

[H2GURU]

As the vehicle ages, the Pawl can wear on its' edge: more rapidly with bad driving "technique".

 

[labman]

When I park my manual shift car and truck on much of a grade, the parking brake is set before letting the clutch out too.

 

[MaximaGuy]

Aren't automatic Park gears made of harder material to last the life of the car (when moving the shifter from park to reverse/gear) compared to other gears? This should prevent the park gear from prematurely failing ..

Anyway, I always engage the parking brake before moving the shifter to park and move from park to gear and then disengage the parking brake... that is what my dad thought me.

 

[Shaman]

quote:

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Originally posted by T-Keith:
Please explain how a car would "slip" out of park?

-T

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There was a defect in Grand Cherokee transmissions where the transmission would shift out of park by itself.

Just an examplt

There is also the my kid wants to play in the car and pull the shifter back and forth to look like daddy.

 

[Willy_G]

I think it was ford or chrysler, maybe both, back in the 70's & 80's that had column mounted shifters move out of park from an idling car due to engine vibrations, and also there was a detent close to P, where the shifter wasn't actually in P and could slip down into a drive gear or N.