Parking an automatic on a hill.

[diy_fun_uk]

Having driven for 30 odd years (manuals) I'm pretty well versed at parking on hills

However when it comes to autos I'm a newbie. Note it's a 2015 model so not full of up to date bells and whistles!

Is this the correct procedure? (I don't need told about pointing the wheels towards the kerb )

Come to a complete stop using foot brake.
Shift to neutral (N).
Engage parking brake (the handbrake).
Release foot brake. Ensure cars weight is being held.
Engage park (P).
Turn engine off.

Then when driving away:

Start car.
Apply foot brake.
Shift from park to drive (or reverse if need be).
Give a bit of throttle as required.
Slowly release hand brake.
Drive forwards or reverse as required.

There seems to be two or three slightly different variants of the above. Main thing I want to avoid is putting unnecessary strain on the parking pawl and/or transmission.

Any advice welcome

 

[Koolpc]

Dont park on a hill!

 

[Burnerman]

Bring the car to a halt with the footbrake
Engage P, which locks up the transmission
Apply the handbrake, if it doesn’t come on automatically.

Start the engine
Engage D, keeping the footbrake on
Handbrake off, and drive away.

John

 

[mattylad]

I suspect that it is also better to park at a right angle to the curb

 

[norseman]

Apply the handbrake before selecting Park otherwise damage to the auto-box parking pawl can occur. This facility is designed to lock the gearbox not hold the weight of the car on an incline.

When ready to move off select D or R as appropriate, again before releasing handbrake.

 

[robinbanks]

I suspect that it is also better to park at a right angle to the curb

What, so the front or back of the car is sticking out into the road?
Where did the OP say it was a smart car(/other brand that is as long as a regular car is wide)?

 

[johnny2007]

Apply the handbrake before selecting Park otherwise damage to the auto-box parking pawl can occur. This facility is designed to lock the gearbox not hold the weight of the car on an incline

I've always done that but never thought about the reason.
Thanks!

 

[Munroast]

Carry a large chunk of wood you can jam behind the wheel - tether it to the car so it follows you when you drive off

 

[EFLImpudence]

Come to a complete stop using foot brake.
Shift to neutral (N).
Engage parking brake (the handbrake).
Release foot brake. Ensure cars weight is being held.
Engage park (P).
Turn engine off.

Come to a complete stop using foot brake.
Shift to Park (P).
Engage parking brake (the handbrake).
Release foot brake slowly ensuring cars weight is being held by no rolling.
Turn engine off.

Then when driving away:

Start car.
Apply foot brake.
Shift from park to drive (or reverse if need be).
Give a bit of throttle as required.
Slowly release hand brake.
Drive forwards or reverse as required.

Apply foot brake with left foot.
Start car.
Shift from park to drive (or reverse if need be) - you won't be able to without footbrake applied.
Release hand brake.
Do hill start using right foot on throttle and left foot to release foot brake at appropriate time
Drive forwards or reverse as required.

 

[Munroast]

I have driven quite a lot of autos (wifes had them since last century) and they vary quite a lot, some are crap at hill starts and others are great, my wifes (new type) GLA is superb, not a hint of roll back - but the last one, a C Class was awful, if on a steep hill and someone parked close behind it was a worrying balancing act with left foot on the brake

 

[Diyisfun]

I think I would read the handbook, if there wasnt one, I would search the web or ask on here. lol

 

[mattylad]

What, so the front or back of the car is sticking out into the road?
Where did the OP say it was a smart car(/other brand that is as long as a regular car is wide)?

Methinks the sarcasm went over your head.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I have driven quite a lot of autos (wifes had them since last century) and they vary quite a lot, some are crap at hill starts and others are great, my wifes (new type) GLA is superb, not a hint of roll back - but the last one, a C Class was awful, if on a steep hill and someone parked close behind it was a worrying balancing act with left foot on the brake

It can't be worse than a manual.

 

[Munroast]

It can't be worse than a manual.

I have driven manuals all my life, inc lots of wagons, never even think about it - and they all have had proper handbrakes - modern autos (at least my wifes) have automatic handbrakes which is a ****e idea

the stupidest one we had was an E class, foot operated handbrake, that you could only release in one 'all of a sudden' action

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Thanks all. Yeah I think at first something I'll be avoiding is parking in tight spaces on gradients that are a bit more significant. Of course that doesn't stop someone making it a tight space when you return to the car!

The answers here reflect what I'm reading online. Some select park and then the handbrake, some the other way round. The latter seems to be the suggested way to stop putting undue stress on the parking pawl and to avoid the clunk when selecting drive or reverse.

Thanks again.