No-one owning up to being as sloppy as me?
I will admit to additionally using the handbrake if parked on a steep slope.
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No-one owning up to being as sloppy as me? I will admit to additionally using the handbrake if parked on a steep slope.
If I had frostbite I might be a little sloppy!
Regards.
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On a similar note it's best to only engage park when you've "parked" up the vehicle. Leaving the engine running whilst in park for any length of time can damage the gearbox by overheating it.
DD,
I believe I'm right in saying that the Park function is purely mechanical and the hydraulic circuits in Neutral and Park are identical except that, when Park is engaged with the engine running, fluid pressure is applied to a brake band solenoid to hold the pinion carrier stationary.
I could understand the fluid measurably warming if the car was left in Park with the engine running for a very long time but I don't believe the gearbox could be overheated to the point of damage in other than very extreme circumstances. I have certainly seen no warning of this in owner's handbooks in the various automatics I have owned and driven over the past 30+ years.
I personally always use Park on the flat or very gentle slopes and supplement this with the handbrake on more severe slopes. At level crossings, etc., I select Neutral and apply the handbrake as it is then a simple matter to nudge into Drive when the time comes to move off. This occasional use of the handbrake also helps keep it in working order.
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When "park" is selected, a steel peg locks the output shaft indirectly to the gearbox case.This is why you must only select "P" when vehicle at rest.
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Dizzy,
I'm only going on advice the Vaux dealer gave me. They mentioned something about the hydraulic circuit in Park being different than when other selections are used.
I must admit to being one of those people that keeps their foot on the brake at traffic lights - only because the gearbox drops itself into neutral electronically.
I still use the handbrake when I've parked up though - whether on the flat or slopes. I don't want to get out of the habit of using the handbrake as I still drive with manual gearboxes as well, and I just know one day I'll forget to apply the handbrake if I get into the habit of not using it on a regular basis.
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DD,
Thanks for the explanation. I don't know enough about modern Vauxhall automatic boxes to say that the dealer is definitely wrong -- but I'll bet he is. I will try and find the facts from another source (I assume the box in question is the Japanese make whose name always escapes me!).
When selecting Park on the gearboxes that I've seen, the brake band is operated to stop the pinion carrier turning so as to let the housing-mounted parking pawl engage a tooth on the ring gear without crunching. Obviously the gearbox pump is continuing to pressurise the fluid so long as the engine is running and that will gradually warm up the fluid ... but overheat? Maybe if you left it running in Park for several hours but surely not while you are sitting at traffic lights or level crossings.
Getting back to Dave H's original question, the Park mechanism is extremely strong and very reliable so I don't think it is *essential* to use the handbrake as well but, like DD says, it's undeniably good practice to do so.
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I assume the box in question is the Japanese make whose name always escapes me.
The one in my old Cavalier was manuafactured by Aisin AW Co, Ltd, and was the AF 20. No idea about the Vectra. However the dealer mentioned the same thing about both cars - not to leave in park with the engine running for too long. It's the gearbox with the dipstick, as opposed to the one they fit in the Omega that hasn't got a dipstick to check the oil level.
Maybe if you left it running in Park for several hours but surely not while you are sitting at traffic lights or level crossings.
True, it probably won't overheat in that instance, but I'm very lazy and can't be bothered to drop it in park all the time. To get it out of park again you have to engage the foot brake to release the gearstick lock. I'd sooner leave it in neutral with the handbrake on and then drop it into drive when I need to move away again. [1] If I'm feeling in an even lazier mood, I'll sit there with my foot on the brake and leave it in "D", as I mentioned earlier - the box drops itself into "N" after a couple of seconds, and then back into "D" once your foot is off the brake pedal.
[1] I know you're supposed to press the brake pedal before shifting the gearstick, but I gather this is only taught so that you're in full control of the vehicle, and to stop it moving unintentionally forward - which is what I want it to do anyway!
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to stop it moving unintentionally forward - which is what I want it to do anyway!
That came out wrong. I want to intentionally move forward. Oh you know what I mean.
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