Why does your Car Roll in Park?
(Hint: Possible Sign of Transmission Failure)
Your car is supposed to roll a little bit! But only an inch or two- this kind of mechanical play is perfectly normal.
But when your vehicle rolls in park a bit more than a few inches, or if that roll feels inconsistent- it might be a sign of a failing transmission. While this is can become a costly repair if ignored, it is also a safety concern as well. If you are concerned about your transmission stop by your nearest AAMCO Minnesota location for a free complete vehicle safety courtesy checkup today.
Rolls a Little Bit or a Few Inches: Mechanical Play is Normal
Vehicles are supposed to have a small amount of mechanical play, which is caused by the parking pawl engaging with the output shaft in your transmission. When you put an automatic transmission into park, the parking pawl will swing towards the output shaft, and those few inches of roll or “lurch” that you experience are caused by the small amount of space left over once the pawl is engaged.
This is a simplified version of why your car rolls somewhat when put into park, but it is important to know that only a little bit is normal!
If your Car Rolls a Lot or more than 3 Inches: Potential Transmission Trouble
When you experience a lurch forward or backward (especially on an incline or hill) that seems like more than a few inches then it time take it into the shop. Ignoring the issue can cause further damage to your transmission and increase the total cost of your transmission repair. This is also a considerably dangerous situation as it can cause your parking gear to slip and have your car roll off into certain danger. This has long been an issue in the automotive industry, and these incidents have injured people, caused property damage, and worse when not addressed quickly by a transmission expert.
Whether your car is rolling too far forward or backward your transmission could have a worn out parking mechanism or the parking pawl may be damaged or otherwise not engaging correctly. If you think that your transmission may have an issue you should bring it in immediately before a simple transmission repair can become a costly replacement!
Parking Incorrectly can put Wear on Your Transmission
Unfortunately today many drivers to get to their parking space, put the car in park, and go about their day. This puts an unnecessary strain on the transmission, especially on an incline. The parking pawl and output shaft take the brunt of the vehicle’s weight, and over many years of parking like this can cause the wear that creates the dangerous situation we detailed above.
Dangers of Inlines, Hills, and Slopes
If you regularly park your car on an incline, hill, or any kind of slope you could be wearing out your transmission prematurely. For those who live in hilly or mountainous areas following our tips for properly parking is immensely important. Not to mention if your car is sliding quite a bit in park you could be putting those downhill in serious danger.
How to Properly Park your Vehicle
Parking Protocol for Automatic Transmissions
We recommend putting on your parking brake or emergency brake first, then lightly lift your foot from the brake pedal to put some of the vehicle’s weight onto the e-brake. Afterward, you can safely put the car in park- this way the parking brake does not hold the brunt of the car’s weight. In addition, this gives an added layer of safety when parking by providing two points of failure: the parking brake AND the parking gear.
Parking Protocol for Manual Transmissions
The process is similar for manual or stickshift transmissions. Start with the parking brake, then let some of the vehicle’s weight shift onto the parking brake by letting up on the brake pedal slightly. When facing uphill you’ll want to put the car into 1st gear to ensure a backup in case your parking brake fails. Similarly, when facing downhill put the stick shift into reverse for to add that extra layer of security.
Leave your Parking Spot Without Stressing your Transmission
When getting back into your car begin by starting the car to engage your power brakes, then put your foot on the brakes before releasing the parking brake. Once the brakes are pressed, you can safely shift out of park (automatic) or out of the gear you’re in (manual). This ensures minimal wear to your transmission’s parking gear possible.
Getting used to following these simple rules can prevent some serious wear to your transmission. The trick is to get into the habit of doing it every time, especially if you’re used to just putting it into park and walking away. Just remember not to leave your parking brake (aka handbrake or emergency brake) on when driving away!
Free Vehicle Safety Courtesy Checks at your Local AAMCO Minnesota
We pride ourselves on making sure our customers are safely back on the road quickly. As a world leader in transmission repairs, diagnostics, servicing and rebuilds our commitment is to our customers. Many of our locations even offer free towing services within 15 miles!
Visit an AAMCO Minnesota location near you to receive a complete transmission inspection today. Feel free to schedule an appointment online now for a thorough transmission inspection and diagnosis before the issue gets any worse!
Other Articles About Car Maintenance & Repair
7 Bad Habits that Can Destroy your Car
Schedule An Appointment
