Should I use the parking brake when parking in an automatic?

[SparkyJJO]

What I do -

1. Put on the hydraulic brake
2. Shift to park
3. Apply parking brake
4. Release hydraulic brake

 

[shortylickens]

I like foot brakes better than hand brakes. Frees up space on the console. Ditto for column mounted shifters.
Thats the only two good things about my S-10.

 

[obamanation]

What I do -

1. Put on the hydraulic brake
2. Shift to park
3. Apply parking brake
4. Release hydraulic brake

Why? You mind as well not put on the brake at all since the stress is still on the parking pawl. You should do as I suggested which is apply foot brake, apply parking brake, release foot brake, shift into park. This is the only way to ensure that the parking brake is actually doing its job.

 

[jlee]

Why? You mind as well not put on the brake at all since the stress is still on the parking pawl. You should do as I suggested which is apply foot brake, apply parking brake, release foot brake, shift into park. This is the only way to ensure that the parking brake is actually doing its job.

:hmm:

Read again.

 

[obamanation]

:hmm:

Read again.

If anyone needs to read again, it is you.

What I do -

1. Put on the hydraulic brake
That's foot brake, no issue here
2. Shift to park
This should be done last! Since it's done first, when everything is said and done, it will be resting on this parking pawl and not on the parking brake
3. Apply parking brake
Too late now as the parking brake won't be allowed to "grab" due to the shifting into park in step 2
4. Release hydraulic brake
everything comes together and you'll feel the car resting not on the parking brake but the parking pawl itself.

I didn't misread anything at all.

 

[jlee]

If anyone needs to read again, it is you.



I didn't misread anything at all.

Maybe it's just my cars, but when I put the parking brake on, it's on. They also don't move when I still have my foot on the brake.

 

[Imp]

I think you should, but I don't. Driving instructor taught me, family taught me not, I drive family car where no one uses it so the habit dies.

I use my parking brake to screw around when slowing the car down with no one behind me for shits and giggles; I'm practicing? Hope I'm not wearing it down too much.

 

[exdeath]

I've never even heard of one breaking - granted I haven't specifically looked for a case, but still. We haven't even broken one in a cruiser yet!

Those things go through far more abuse under testing and validation than any driver can ever subject them too. Probably one of the strongest parts of the transmission.

 

[soydios]

If parked on level or nearly-level ground then I just use the pawl in the transmission (put the automatic transmission in Park).
If I'm on a hill then I turn the wheels according to which way I'm facing, put the parking/hand brake on, put the transmission in Park, and then take my foot off the brake pedal.

I've found that the parking/hand brake isn't strong enough to hold the car on its own on a hill, so I do that plus the transmission pawl.

 

[obamanation]

Maybe it's just my cars, but when I put the parking brake on, it's on. They also don't move when I still have my foot on the brake.

Are you on a steep incline when you're doing this? I park most of my vehicles on an incline of varying degrees so I really notice when and how the parking brake is engaged.

I've found that the parking/hand brake isn't strong enough to hold the car on its own on a hill, so I do that plus the transmission pawl.

You should really be releasing the brake before putting the car into park because that's the only way to ensure that the parking brake has grabbed. Also if the parking brake ALONE is incapable of holding the vehicle on the hill, then it's either broken or you haven't put enough force onto the parking brake mechanism and therefore it's mostly useless since you're still relying on the transmission to keep the vehicle parked. I've parked on steep hills and if the parking brake isn't able to hold the vehicle on the hill on the first try, I then reapply the brake until it does.

 

[thepd7]

Are you on a steep incline when you're doing this? I park most of my vehicles on an incline of varying degrees so I really notice when and how the parking brake is engaged.


You should really be releasing the brake before putting the car into park because that's the only way to ensure that the parking brake has grabbed. Also if the parking brake ALONE is incapable of holding the vehicle on the hill, then it's either broken or you haven't put enough force onto the parking brake mechanism and therefore it's mostly useless since you're still relying on the transmission to keep the vehicle parked. I've parked on steep hills and if the parking brake isn't able to hold the vehicle on the hill on the first try, I then reapply the brake until it does.

fail. Jlee is right. As long as you have the brake engaged it doesn't matter when you shift into park. If your car does not move after you engage the parking brake, the pawl is not being stressed.

 

[StageLeft]

I only do on a hill, and a meaningful one at that. My driveway is graded and I never use it on that.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Why? You mind as well not put on the brake at all since the stress is still on the parking pawl. You should do as I suggested which is apply foot brake, apply parking brake, release foot brake, shift into park. This is the only way to ensure that the parking brake is actually doing its job.

Since I still have my foot on the hydraulic brake, the car isn't moving anywhere when I put it in park. So there is no stress on the parking pawl. I set the parking brake before releasing the hydraulic brake, so there is still no stress on the pawl because the car hasn't moved anywhere. No movement = no stress.

 

[exdeath]

This "stress on the parking pawl" business is like worring about wearing out your throwout bearing if you hold the clutch in at a stop.

It's a safety component, it's tested far beyond any abuse you think you can do to it.