Car and park

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
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I know a lot of people just have a habit of putting their e-brake on all the time. Well, I don't do that. But let's say you are on the least steep of inclines, barely an incline at all, and put it in park with no e-brake. This causes the car to slouch slightly after letting the brake off. If it slouches even the slightest does that mean you're putting strain on the transmission? I find this hard to believe, as this happens even in my own driveway, and it's just the tiniest bit from being perfectly flat.
 

acemcmac

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
13,712
1
0
it's rocking against SOMETHING in the transmission... I have been assured over and over again that it's all hydrolic and can't possibly hurt the transmission, but knowing how CRAPPY american automatic transmissions are, I E-Brake before letting go of the foot break EVERY time.
 

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
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Originally posted by: acemcmac
it's rocking against SOMETHING in the transmission... I have been assured over and over again that it's all hydrolic and can't possibly hurt the transmission, but knowing how CRAPPY american automatic transmissions are, I E-Brake before letting go of the foot break EVERY time.
But mine is a foot pedal and a bit of a pain to use compared to hand brakes. I just find it hard to believe the e-brake is necessary when you step out and look at your car and it's almost completely level.

 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
63,075
19,398
136
Originally posted by: archcommus
Originally posted by: acemcmac
it's rocking against SOMETHING in the transmission... I have been assured over and over again that it's all hydrolic and can't possibly hurt the transmission, but knowing how CRAPPY american automatic transmissions are, I E-Brake before letting go of the foot break EVERY time.
But mine is a foot pedal and a bit of a pain to use compared to hand brakes. I just find it hard to believe the e-brake is necessary when you step out and look at your car and it's almost completely level.

Is it a Ford/Mercury/Lincoln? Those are actually the only cars I've been in with the foot e-brake.
 

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
10,621
1
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The thing it's putting pressure on is called the parking pawl, and is part of the transmission. Putting too much strain on it is bad, but for slight inclines it should be fine.
 

Kaervak

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
8,460
2
81
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: archcommus
Originally posted by: acemcmac
it's rocking against SOMETHING in the transmission... I have been assured over and over again that it's all hydrolic and can't possibly hurt the transmission, but knowing how CRAPPY american automatic transmissions are, I E-Brake before letting go of the foot break EVERY time.
But mine is a foot pedal and a bit of a pain to use compared to hand brakes. I just find it hard to believe the e-brake is necessary when you step out and look at your car and it's almost completely level.

Is it a Ford/Mercury/Lincoln? Those are actually the only cars I've been in with the foot e-brake.

Some Dodge vehicles have them too.
 

doze

Platinum Member
Jul 26, 2005
2,786
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I don't put mine on unless I am on a decent slope. I have never heard of any transmission damage from not putting it on no matter who makes the car.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
63,075
19,398
136
Originally posted by: doze
I don't put mine on unless I am on a decent slope. I have never heard of any transmission damage from not putting it on no matter who makes the car.

Some people can't resist taking a shot at american auto makers ;)
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
63,075
19,398
136
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Originally posted by: Kaervak
Some Dodge vehicles have them too.

You know, I don't think I've been in a lot of Dodges.

You're not missing much

I did like the Intrepid that I took for a test drive years ago, and I'm happy with my Chrysler.
 

MikeMike

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
45,885
66
91
most domestics have foot brakes.

but ive never had a slope where i feel the need to put on my parking brake, and ive never had any force needed to get a car out of park
 

acemcmac

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
13,712
1
0
Originally posted by: doze
I don't put mine on unless I am on a decent slope. I have never heard of any transmission damage from not putting it on no matter who makes the car.

Over time, who knows what that constant slamming will do to it. I don't see a single reason I should trust a transmission that has a worse than one in three shot of making it past 150k miles with the slamming weight of my car at every park.
 

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
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Yeah it's a Mercury.

It did used to be hard for me to take it out of park on inclines, even when I did have the e-brake on. Then I learned to put it in neutral with the e-brake still on, then to take off the e-brake and put it in drive or reverse. That helped tremendously.

Another reason I don't want to put the e-brake on in my driveway is because my car is not being used right now and thus sits still for about a week at a time. With the often freezing weather and stuff I don't know if it'd be a good idea to leave that brake on that whole time.