[pgsagar]

Originally Posted by SolidusSnake

Sorry bumping up a old thread, I also fee the same way, when my Creta DCT is parked on a little incline, disengaging from P becomes little hard. But the manual states that we must first move the shift lever to P and then engage parking brake as opposed to what is stated in the quoted post. So what is the correct way, should we engage parking brake before or after moving the shift lever to P?

Rule of thumb in an automatic, any automatic except AMT which doesn't have P mode, is to first apply foot brake to stop the car, then pull handbrake all the way up, let go of the foot brake to ensure car is not rolling, then press foot brake pedal down again and slot the shift lever into P. When you finish your business and get back for return trip, first put your foot on the brake pedal, shift the lever out of P, and then release handbrake. So, engaging P is last in, first out (LIFO).

What you are doing will put big load on parking pawl in the gearbox while parking on steep inclines to an extent that the parking pawl may break. You are not alone. This is what 95 per cent of AT drivers do. AT drivers need to be taught this as the first rule of AT driving.

Here is what parking pawl looks like.

https://aamcobayarea.com/parking-pawl/

[Chethan B G]

Gear shift lever position should be changed only when the car is not moving. For all shifts, we first depress brake paddle.

Even while shifting to P, depressing break paddle alone will be enough. Car won’t move. But after shifting to P, if we disengage the brake paddle without engaging parking brakes, the weight of the vehicle will be entirely on just a pin in the gear box, which can snap. That will be an expensive repair, even if it didn’t lead to any accident.

Engaging hand brake while the foot brake paddle is depressed, doesn’t make any difference; except that it helps to follow a safer routine / process during shifting the gear position to P.