Automatics: Does it hurt the tranny to shift from park to drive?

[canadian_hustla]

After having owned 3 standard vehicles, I finally bought myself an automatic. I have noticed that when I shift it from park to drive, i get the feeling that I am ruining my transmission.

P R N D 1 2

does it hurt the vehicle to shift from P to D in one shot? (i.e. skipping R and N in one shot). Is it better to go from P to N and then to D?

Another thing is that I never use my parking brake, should i use it to soften the amount of stress on the transmission when changing? I.e. have the parking brake on while changing, and take it off when I am in gear

If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions/experience, please do share

Thanks in advance.

[googe]

no, its meant for that. the parking brake is a good idea but not for stress reasons.

funny story that just happened to a friend of mine...left their dog in the car, in park, with the parking brake off. dog chewed the shifter, pushed it into neutral, and away the car went, hitting another car :rofl:

[BlackArcher101]

It's called Automatic for a reason.
There is absolutely no reason to shift to R, then N, just to get to D. Just go there in one shot.

No parking brake! It's all automatic. You don't put the brake on when it shifts from 1 to 2 do you?

[BlackArcher101]

Originally posted by googe
no, its meant for that. the parking brake is a good idea but not for stress reasons.

funny story that just happened to a friend of mine...left their dog in the car, in park, with the parking brake off. dog chewed the shifter, pushed it into neutral, and away the car went, hitting another car :rofl:

nevermind, didn't read it fully

[GQBalla]

when the car is off i didn't think you had to push in the clutch? its just hard?

[BlackArcher101]

Also like to add...


If parked on even the slightest incline, always stop with the brake, set parking brake, then shift into P. If you shift into P before setting the brake, you can let the car settle against the gear and result in the inability to shift out of P when you want to drive away next time. You then would have to rock the car back and forth to "unlock" it.

[ICEBERG]

Long as you don't do a Neutral Drop With Automatic you will be fine.:D

[ZorroAMG]

BlackArcher:

umm maybe in a beater auto...my 16yr old MB has no issue with that...I do, however, apply the emergency brake before putting it in P, but if i forget, my car does not give a shit...

[BlackArcher101]

Originally posted by ZorroAMG
BlackArcher:

umm maybe in a beater auto...my 16yr old MB has no issue with that...I do, however, apply the emergency brake before putting it in P, but if i forget, my car does not give a shit...

Doesn't happen all the time... but when it does, you'll be a cursin'. Has happend to me in an '02 vehicle. Doesn't have to be a beater.

[canadian_hustla]

Originally posted by BlackArcher101
Also like to add...


If parked on even the slightest incline, always stop with the brake, set parking brake, then shift into P. If you shift into P before setting the brake, you can let the car settle against the gear and result in the inability to shift out of P when you want to drive away next time. You then would have to rock the car back and forth to "unlock" it.


haha yeah my point exactly.. Well that is good to know information, I just bought an explorer and the tranny shift knob thing is pretty flimsy.. i figured i would be ruining it or something by skipping a couple gears.

but while we are on the topic of the parking brake, does it really matter if the parking brake is on or not on a hill? Does it ruin the vehicle to have it sitting in park only? My parking brake is fu*ked and I have to park on a number of steep inclines throughout the day

it is theoretically impossible for a vehicle to roll while in park correct?

[Zero102]

Incorrect.
I've been in several vehicles that will inch along when in park and they are parked on a hill.
Go ahead and skip right to D, it will actually be easier on the transmission. Know how it takes it a second to actually engage in the gear you have selected? Each time it engages, a set of steel/rubber bands inside the transmission clamps down on a collar connected to part of a planetary gear set. This collar is spinning until the band clamps down, so every time it clamps it suffers a tiny bit of wear. By skipping R, that is one time that the band does not suffer that tiny bit of wear.
In the end, it will be almost unmeasurable, but if we get right down to it, it's better to skip right to D.


Now, about shifting to park before setting the brake. The above mentioned procedure is correct. If you shift to park before setting the brake, there will still be some load on the park 'pin'. Note that the park 'pin' is not always a physical pin that locks into a gear, but rather sometimes is a big tooth locked down onto the outside of the gear. By setting the parking brake first, you stop the weight of the vehicle from being pressed against the park 'pin', and help prolong the life of the park 'pin'. Now, asto the shifting out of park problem. In many automatics when there is stress on the park 'pin' it can be difficult to release it from the gear. When you shift from park, your lever is directly disengaging the park 'pin' and this can result in notchy or difficult shifting, especially if the mechanism is actually locked in place.

Hope this is enough info for you :D

If you want to know a bunch more, hit up how stuff works, and watch the automatic transmissions thing..... it's cool.

[barbarian]

Originally posted by canadian_hustla



haha yeah my point exactly.. Well that is good to know information, I just bought an explorer and the tranny shift knob thing is pretty flimsy.. i figured i would be ruining it or something by skipping a couple gears.

but while we are on the topic of the parking brake, does it really matter if the parking brake is on or not on a hill? Does it ruin the vehicle to have it sitting in park only? My parking brake is fu*ked and I have to park on a number of steep inclines throughout the day

it is theoretically impossible for a vehicle to roll while in park correct?

Eventually you may have to have that transmission serviced when it won't shift out of park. It is also only one failure (instead of two) from rolling down the hill.

It's a good idea to keep your park/emergency brake working--you may need it if you have a sudden leak of brake fluid.

On the subject, anyone noticed that any place you get your car repaired NEVER sets the park brake when they pull your car back on the lot waiting for pickup? Notice also that at a dealership when you test-drive a car, the park brake is never engaged? Is this due to people being in the habit of not using it, and driving off with the brake on?

[msommers]

Originally posted by BlackArcher101


Doesn't happen all the time... but when it does, you'll be a cursin'. Has happend to me in an '02 vehicle. Doesn't have to be a beater.

Didn't happen to be a KIA would it:D :rofl:

[BlackArcher101]

Originally posted by barbarian

On the subject, anyone noticed that any place you get your car repaired NEVER sets the park brake when they pull your car back on the lot waiting for pickup? Notice also that at a dealership when you test-drive a car, the park brake is never engaged? Is this due to people being in the habit of not using it, and driving off with the brake on?

Parking lots are usually level, so no need for the park brake.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally posted by msommers


Didn't happen to be a KIA would it:D :rofl:

Chevy :guns:

[Mitsu3000gt]

99% of Automatic drivers I know don't use their parking break and I think their all stupid. If you ever saw the little pin that is the only thing holding your car from rolling away, you would always use your parking break.