Do you pull the handbrake when the automatic transmission is in P gear? Are there any tips to avoid forgetting to release the handbrake?

Both the handbrake and the footbrake are mechanical brakes that have a braking effect. In daily driving, the footbrake is more commonly used, while the handbrake is generally used in emergencies or when parking. So do you need to pull the handbrake when the automatic transmission car is in P gear?

Automatic transmission in P gear, pull the handbrake?

When parking the car in P gear, you must pull the handbrake. This is a safety issue.

The P gear is the parking gear in automatic transmission models. It is generally used when the vehicle is turned off or stuck in traffic for a long time. When the P gear is working alone, the wheels will still have a small amount of displacement even if there is no external force.

The handbrake is also called the parking brake, which is divided into mechanical handbrake and electronic handbrake. The function of the brake is to keep the wheels from moving even if affected by external force.

When the vehicle is turned off and shifted into P gear, it is necessary to pull up the handbrake to brake the vehicle, because shifting into P gear alone only locks the output shaft of the gearbox and cannot guarantee the safety of the vehicle after it stops. The handbrake is needed to brake the wheels to ensure safety.

When waiting for a long time at a red light or in a traffic jam and the car is in P gear, even if the handbrake is not applied, you still need to use your foot to brake to protect the gearbox to prevent the locking mechanism from being damaged in the event of a rear-end collision.

What are some tips to avoid forgetting to release the parking brake?

For automatic transmission cars, under normal circumstances, put the car in D gear, release the handbrake, and the car will slowly slide forward. If the car gradually stops or you feel resistance when you step on the accelerator, it is very likely that the handbrake is not released. If you hear a "clicking" sound, or smell burning or smoke while driving, you should slow down immediately and wait until the car temperature drops before checking if there is any problem before going on the road.

Generally speaking, if you drive on the road without releasing the handbrake, there will be an alarm sound in the vehicle when you start, and the dashboard will also have appropriate prompts, so you should start to cultivate this awareness from a normal level.

How many gears does the car handbrake have

The number of grids varies depending on the products of different handbrake mechanism suppliers. Generally speaking, it is about 6-8 grids, and some have 9 grids.

The handbrake pull feel is different for different models of manual transmission cars. There is no need to worry about how many notches you must pull, but you must pull it until you can ensure that the car does not slip. When parking on a steep slope, you can first step on the brake and pull the handbrake hard, then put it in another gear, if the front of the car is facing uphill, put it in first gear, and if the front of the car is facing downhill, put it in reverse gear. After putting it in gear, turn off the engine. This way, you have double insurance by not putting it in gear, and the car will not slip on a steep slope.

We usually drive manual transmission cars like this on steep slopes, and it won't have any impact on the car. As for the handbrake, I didn't really care how many gears to use. On flat roads, I would use it to about 80%, and on slopes, I would use it to the maximum.