How do you park your car?

jayok

From an other thread on a Civic recall about 79,000 people that could be affected by their car rolling away due to handbrake failure. Do you park your car in gear?

Ok, so Automatics have a P(ark) option, but they also have a handbrake. So do you use the handbrake?

Me? As a habit on the Manual CR-V, I always handbrake, clutch, put the car in first, stop the engine and then release the clutch. The start-up sequence reflects this.

On the Automatic 325, I always shift to Park and then use the handbrake.

Does anyone just use the handbrake alone?

Mena

Always use both the handbrake and 1st gear.

John Mason

First Gear, stop, Handbrake and then netural

Rovi

Handbrake and gear, or handbrake and 'Park' in the automatics.

This reminds me of the old Land-Rover drivers' dilemma:
"Do I park at the top of the hill and trust the handbrake, or do I park at the bottom of the hill and trust the starter?"

cormie

I think I saw on the boat to France, that you should park with the handbreak on and in gear, but I think it said only for cars? Or else it was only for vehicles that ran on petrol? Something along those lines anyway

biko

Reverse gear only (have SAAB) but used to use handbrake only in previous car (Toyota) so have changed behaviour completely. Only because of car model

MercMad

Both mine are automatics and I use Park & Parking Brake, since they are foot operated. In any manual cars I use 1st gear and handbrake.

I would worry about using only PARK on automatics as on a lot of transmissions operation of PARK simply engages a small solenoid, hardly enough to hold the weight of the car. Many times I have heard these have broken, and since auto transmissions are shared with a huige number of makers you just dont know what you have.

peasant

Gears only on flat surfaces, handbrake comes in when a (even slight) hill is envolved.

The camper on the other hand spends the winter months on a slight slope in gears only with a chuck behind the rear wheels for safety. No handbrake, as that would seize over time

quarryman

Does 3rd gear not make more sense? At least then the car should cut out if you accidently start without disengaging the gears.

Bendihorse

Handbrake only, i will leave it in gear if i am stopped on a hill. 1st gear if downhill or reverse if facing uphill... maybe my theory is flawed but my understanding is that leaving a car facing up a hill in 1st gear wont matter as the car can roll back when left in a forward gear?

It BeeMee

Usually leave it in first, and use the handbrake just a notch or two.

peasant

quarryman wrote: »

Does 3rd gear not make more sense? At least then the car should cut out if you accidently start without disengaging the gears.

It is good practice to always have your foot on the clutch when starting the car.
a) to prevent the car from jumping if it is in gear (it will jump in 3rd as well)
b) to decouple the gearbox from the engine so that the starter motor doesn't have to turn both

Bendihorse wrote: »

Handbrake only, i will leave it in gear if i am stopped on a hill. 1st gear if downhill or reverse if facing uphill... maybe my theory is flawed but my understanding is that leaving a car facing up a hill in 1st gear wont matter as the car can roll back when left in a forward gear?

When facing uphill park in 1st, facing downhill park in reverse. Always use the gear opposite to the (possible) direction of travel to achieve breaking.
Parking downhill in a forward gear could result in the car rolling .

I only leave it in gear on a uneven surface...

DublinDilbert

MercMad wrote: »

Both mine are automatics and I use Park & Parking Brake, since they are foot operated. In any manual cars I use 1st gear and handbrake.

I would worry about using only PARK on automatics as on a lot of transmissions operation of PARK simply engages a small solenoid, hardly enough to hold the weight of the car. Many times I have heard these have broken, and since auto transmissions are shared with a huige number of makers you just dont know what you have.

Thats interesting.... i lived in canada for quite a few years and no one i knew ever used the hand/foot parking brake in an automatic... in fact all my family would say specifically never to use it in any car there, as no one uses them and it could be ceased so it might engage but when u go to drive off it might not disengage.

L1011

Usually handbrake only but I always start with the clutch down from force of habit from driving my parents cars - never thought of the starter motor benefit peasant mentioned before though.

JazzyJ

Out of habit - handbrake on, in gear, wheels turned into the kerb - living in San Francisco with all the hills will do that to you!

jellybaby21

Handbrake and 1st gear.....:rolleyes:
I'v always ahd a fear of my car rolling down a hill!!!:p

Frisbee

I only use handbrake. Unless im on a hill. Then its handbrake and first

Mary-Ellen

With handbrake and in 4th.
Just got in the habit of 4th not sure why but always know when someone moves the car

Really surprised anyone'd not use the handbrake automatically, don't think I've ever seen someone not use it :eek:

Rovi

quarryman wrote: »

Does 3rd gear not make more sense? At least then the car should cut out if you accidently start without disengaging the gears.

As peasant says above, best practice is to put it into the lowest gear available. This is so that if the handbrake fails, the multiplication effect of the gearbox means that there is much more engine braking available than there would be in a higher gear.
At the extreme ends as an example (made up figures, for demonstration purposes only!), if, when driving, it takes 10 revolutions of the engine to move the car 1 meter in 1st gear, and 1 revolution of the engine to move it 1 meter in 5th gear, gravity (or bad people) will have to turn the engine over 10 times per meter to move the car if the gearbox is in 1st gear, but only once per meter if it's in 5th.

I'd disagree though, on putting the gearbox into the opposite gear to the direction of possible travel.
There's exactly the same engine braking available whether the engine is trying to rotate in the correct direction or backwards, but the rotating components of the engine will almost certainly suffer damage by getting rotated the wrong way.

eringobragh

Handbrake, First gear without a doubt.

Funny cause i was discussing this in the pub a few days ago. My mates da moved his car and he went out and turned the ignition and the car bolted forward ad gave out to his dad. I said it's up to you the driver to check the ars in neutral. He can't get his head around leaving the car in first FFS :rolleyes:

The Real B-man

Handbrake.

Fey!

Handbrake and first (sometimes reverse). Although at the moment, due to a very sharply inclined driveway and the lack of a handbrake, first and 4 wheel chocks!!!

TURRICAN

handbrake .in gear.wheel turned into the kerb

SV

TURRICAN wrote: »

handbrake .in gear.wheel turned into the kerb

Same

(with steering locked )

cormie

peasant wrote: »

Gears only on flat surfaces, handbrake comes in when a (even slight) hill is envolved.

The camper on the other hand spends the winter months on a slight slope in gears only with a chuck behind the rear wheels for safety. No handbrake, as that would seize over time

How would the handbreak seize over time do you know? I know you've been on the ferry a bit with your camper too, do you recall anything about not leaving diesels/vans in gear by the ferry instructions?

barryfitz

I use my mirrors if im reversing into a spot, if not I just drive straight in.

How do I hold the car in position with the ignition off?
Handbrake and 1st gear.:p

peasant

Rovi wrote: »

I'd disagree though, on putting the gearbox into the opposite gear to the direction of possible travel.
There's exactly the same engine braking available whether the engine is trying to rotate in the correct direction or backwards, but the rotating components of the engine will almost certainly suffer damage by getting rotated the wrong way.

The point of putting it into the opposite gear is not to let it move at all.

The engine always rotates in one direction only, whether you're driving forward or backward ...it's the gearing that turns in different directions.

Parking in the gear opposite to the slope makes rotation (and thus movement) impossible ...unless you push so hard that you break the gearbox (say you crash a car at full speed into the parked car)

If on the other hand you park the car in gear (1st to 5th) facing downhill, all that is required is a bit of a push (in 5th) or some hard effort (in 1st) to get the thing moving. On a steep hill in 5th or 4th the car might not even park at all and roll on its own.

peasant

cormie wrote: »

How would the handbreak seize over time do you know? I know you've been on the ferry a bit with your camper too, do you recall anything about not leaving diesels/vans in gear by the ferry instructions?

The handbrake seizes because the pads "bake" to the drum over time due to condensation/rust.

Never saw those instructions you mention, but it is theoretically possible to start a Diesel engine by pushing it in gear, it doesn't need the key turned.
(but only if the fuel cut off solenoid is broken and the fuel supply is uninterrupted even with the ignition off)

Rovi

peasant wrote: »

The point of putting it into the opposite gear is not to let it move at all.

The engine always rotates in one direction only, whether you're driving forward or backward ...it's the gearing that turns in different directions.

Parking in the gear opposite to the slope makes rotation (and thus movement) impossible ...unless you push so hard that you break the gearbox (say you crash a car at full speed into the parked car)

If on the other hand you park the car in gear (1st to 5th) facing downhill, all that is required is a bit of a push (in 5th) or some hard effort (in 1st) to get the thing moving. On a steep hill in 5th or 4th the car might not even park at all and roll on its own.

I'm not certain I'm following you here...
Are you saying that an engine can't possibly rotate backwards?
If so, I'd beg to differ, but perhaps I'm not properly comprehending what you're saying.

cantdecide

Handbrake only. Some cars have brilliant handbrakes. If I was driving a lesser car, I'd leave it in gear.

peasant

Rovi wrote: »

I'm not certain I'm following you here...
Are you saying that an engine can't possibly rotate backwards?
If so, I'd beg to differ, but perhaps I'm not properly comprehending what you're saying.

hmm ...now you've thrown me ...

Of course you can turn an engine both ways (on a workbench for example) but I know that it doesn't turn when you park it in opposite gear ..just need to find out why not

milltown

Without being turned on (ignition and fuel pumps) your engine doesn't care which direction it turns and no damage will result. It's only when running that direction matters, that valves open and close and injection and ignition take place at the right time.

Regardless of which direction you're facing, the only difference between parking in first or reverse is that reverse will have higher gearing than first.

Peasant, if you're keen to really know then jack up one of your driven wheels, put the car in gear and turn the wheel in both directions. It won't be easy in either direction but it will be as hard and as possible in both directions.

ImDave

Cant trust my handbrake at all, I always leave in gear.

milltown

EI-DAV wrote: »

Cant trust my handbrake at all, I always leave in gear.

Is your car NCTed?
I thought dodgy handbrakes were an automatic NCT fail.

peasant

milltown wrote: »

Without being turned on (ignition and fuel pumps) your engine doesn't care which direction it turns and no damage will result. It's only when running that direction matters, that valves open and close and injection and ignition take place at the right time.

Regardless of which direction you're facing, the only difference between parking in first or reverse is that reverse will have higher gearing than first.

Peasant, if you're keen to really know then jack up one of your driven wheels, put the car in gear and turn the wheel in both directions. It won't be easy in either direction but it will be as hard and as possible in both directions.

ooookaaay....

Then explain this to me:

On my VW Syncro both first gear (or G gear) and reverse have the same ratio. I parked the yoke on a really steep slope facing forward and down, left it in first and turned the engine off. Let the clutch slip a little ( to gain some rolling momentum) and then let it out again. The car goes chugg-chugg-chugg as the engine is turned over by the momentum and then stops. So far, so good.

Repeated the same excercise in reverse gear and as I let out the clutch, the engine doesn't turn but the driven wheels lock up and come to an abprupt and screeching halt.

zilog_jones

I park with handbrake and gears, though I often forget to put it in gear unless I'm on an incline (also suffer from crap handbrake). I used to just put it in 4th but after reading this it looks like 1st or reverse should be better.

How does one go about tightening the handbrakes? Whenever I get my car serviced they tighten the cable (or whatever), but I'm so used to pulling it quite hard that it gets loose again after a week or so.

S.I.R

i park via usingthe handbrake then only use the handbrake ( unless on a hill with a gradient of 30 degrees or more ) .

lightening

Is it bad for a car to be parked on a slope all the time? Like if your driveway is on a hill. If so, which is worse? Arse up or bonnet up?

Wazdakka

SAAB 9-3 So its gotta be in reverse to take the key out..

leeroybrown

Handbrake and in gear. Always start a car in neutral.

I'm reminded of a thread that started here years ago where a guy came on calling everyone who parked their car in gear idiots. His wife had used his car and had parked it in gear and he had then gotten in and started it without putting the car in neutral thus rear ending her car with his. It became pretty clear who the idiot was quite quickly and he presumably went back to his wife with a groveling apology.

Sherifu

Handbrake only.

leeroybrown

lightening wrote: »

If so, which is worse? Arse up or bonnet up?

Speaking as someone who has owned an unreliable car I'd suggest bonnet pointing out to get the jump leads in.

milltown

peasant wrote: »

ooookaaay....

Then explain this to me:

On my VW Syncro both first gear (or G gear) and reverse have the same ratio. I parked the yoke on a really steep slope facing forward and down, left it in first and turned the engine off. Let the clutch slip a little ( to gain some rolling momentum) and then let it out again. The car goes chugg-chugg-chugg as the engine is turned over by the momentum and then stops. So far, so good.

Repeated the same excercise in reverse gear and as I let out the clutch, the engine doesn't turn but the driven wheels lock up and come to an abprupt and screeching halt.

I don't know. I've had a quick look and, guessing yours is a camper synchro rather than any of the saloons, I can find very little info on the exact 4wd setup used and I'm not about to spend my day trawling VW forums. The only possibility I've come up with was the mention of the extra low ratio granny gear. It sounds to me like this may be the one with same ratio as reverse. Any chance you're confusing this with your first gear?

I suppose the proof of the pudding would be to repeat your experiment with the van pointing the other way and see if the results are reversed.

peasant

milltown wrote: »

The only possibility I've come up with was the mention of the extra low ratio granny gear. It sounds to me like this may be the one with same ratio as reverse. Any chance you're confusing this with your first gear?

you joker

It's not a "Granny" gear ..G stands for "Gelaende" or off-road and it is a forward gear with a very low ratio, same as reverse.

And the 4WD setup is a viscous coupling

Maybe this "phenomenon" is gearbox related and my gearbox is just not willing to turn "the wrong way" and locks up instead?

Must investigate ....

maims3875

jayok wrote: »

From an other thread on a Civic recall about 79,000 people that could be affected by their car rolling away due to handbrake failure. Do you park your car in gear?

Ok, so Automatics have a P(ark) option, but they also have a handbrake. So do you use the handbrake?

Me? As a habit on the Manual CR-V, I always handbrake, clutch, put the car in first, stop the engine and then release the clutch. The start-up sequence reflects this.

On the Automatic 325, I always shift to Park and then use the handbrake.

Does anyone just use the handbrake alone?

With our Manual (2006 Mark 3) CRV, the handbrake isn't the best, so the routine is ,

Stop,

Heavy on the footbrake,
Handbrake,
release footbrake
Neutral

With our other vehicles, its handbrake only!

milltown

peasant wrote: »

you joker

It's not a "Granny" gear ..G stands for "Gelaende" or off-road and it is a forward gear with a very low ratio, same as reverse.

And the 4WD setup is a viscous coupling

Maybe this "phenomenon" is gearbox related and my gearbox is just not willing to turn "the wrong way" and locks up instead?

Must investigate ....

Not my terminology, Wiki's.
From here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Type_2_%28T3%29

Wikipedia wrote:

There were four wheel drive Vanagons that were branded by Volkswagen as "Syncro." This full-time four-wheel drivetrain should not be confused with the system that was used in Volkswagen Quantum station wagons. The Quantum Syncro wagons had a system identical to that of an Audi 4000 Quattro. The manual transmissions in the Vanagon Syncro had an extra-low-ratio "granny gear," thus giving the appearance of a 5-speed transmission even though this gear was only used off-road.

javaboy

maims3875 wrote: »

With our Manual (2006 Mark 3) CRV, the handbrake isn't the best, so the routine is ,

Stop,

Heavy on the footbrake,
Handbrake,
release footbrake
Neutral

With our other vehicles, its handbrake only!

So you are relying on an admittedly dodgy handbrake to hold your car in position then?

Heavy on the footbrake doesn't really make a difference. The handbrake isn't used to bring the car to a stop anyway.

Wertz

MYOB wrote: »

Usually handbrake only but I always start with the clutch down from force of habit from driving my parents cars - never thought of the starter motor benefit peasant mentioned before though.

Same goes for me...will always clutch in at start up, because anyone else I drive a car after leaves it in gear.
Myself, I only use handbrake, unless the car is on an incline in which case 1st or rev as apt.

WRT Peasant's point, if the car was stopped in neutral and then re-started in neutral, what difference does havign the clutch depressed make then? None I would have thought, or am I missing something?

maims3875

javaboy wrote: »

So you are relying on an admittedly dodgy handbrake to hold your car in position then?

Heavy on the footbrake doesn't really make a difference. The handbrake isn't used to bring the car to a stop anyway.

The design of the CRV handbrake isn't the best, it's a lever that you pull back from the dash, not the normal raise from the floor type.

The handbrake does "feel" better once applied with the footbrake pressed.

peasant

Wertz wrote: »

WRT Peasant's point, if the car was stopped in neutral and then re-started in neutral, what difference does havign the clutch depressed make then? None I would have thought, or am I missing something?

Ok, if you turned the key with gear and clutch "in", the starter motor would turn the whole shebang including the wheels and the whole car ..this is why it jumps.

Take the gearbox into neutral and the starter only turns the system as far as the gearbox ...the drivetrain is de-coupled.

Press the clutch and now you're only turning the engine , as the clutch de-couples the gearbox.

Not pressing the clutch puts an additional load on the starter as it has to turn gears as well as the engine (plus you're turning through a cold gearbox without flowing oil, which isn't good for that either in the long run)