vital

When you are parking, especially on a hill and after you turn your wheel, what order do you make these changes?

I usually set to Park gear, step on emergency brake and then release brake but was wondering if it makes any difference if I let go of the brake first and then step on emergency brake after setting it to Park gear?

EZZ

I'm paranoid. I got to neutral, set parking brake, then set to park. Haha

Sasnuke

I set Parking brake, then shift to P, then release brake pedal.
The weight (or majority of) the vehicle should be on the Parking brake first, then the remainder on the Parking pawl inside the transmission second.

Larry96815

We have a parking brake? I did not know that.

Never used it.

sarcoptic

Exactly my method....in gear set emergency brake, then shift to P, then release brake pedal.

mcomer

Continuing to the actual reason for this procedure, when returning to the car parked on a hill...
Step on the regular brake, take the car out of Park, release the parking brake, release the regular brake.
Doing is in this order, as Sasnuke points out, keeps the weight of the car off the parking pawl in the trans.

Viktimize

Most people just set it to Park gear and walk away.

The actual proper procedure though would be to shift to neutral, release foot brake, set park brake, shift to park gear. The curb is actually supposed to be supporting the car from rolling away if the park brake fails. So you have to roll against it in neutral or you're defeating the entire purpose of turning your wheels towards or away from the curb in the first place.

davyjordi

Hold down the brake, while holding set to park while simultaneously applying the parking brake, release foot from the regular brake. All in an effort to avoid placing the vehicle's weight on the parking pawl.

arentz07

Exactly, I'd say it's probably not a huge deal as long as the parking brake is applied before you release the service brakes. The parking pawl is basically a safety net and shouldn't be used all the time, particularly on slopes.

I typically do this:
1. stop moving
2. engage parking brake
3. shift to "P"
4. release service brake

However, I'd say 2. and 3. are interchangeable, and I have done them in the opposite order before. Just release the service brake last. Now, if only I wasn't lazy and actually used the parking brake all the time. I'd say I use it a couple times a week, just to make sure the cable doesn't get brittle.

arentz07

Found this on p. 177:

Interestingly, it also advises not to use the parking brake in winter!

p. 271:

anamynous

Maybe I'm doing it wrong but what I do is press down the parking brake while holding the regular brakes, and then I slowly let go of the regular brakes until I feel the parking brake hold the car, and then I shift to park.

CobraGSF

iTrader: (2)

did this on my 3IS and now GS-F even though the F has auto parking brake. If I am parked at an incline. Drop into neutral, engage emergency brake and then take your foot off the brake. The car will roll and all the weight will rest on the parking brake. Then put into park.

premier3IS

I hold down the brake pedal, shift to park, push down on the parking brake and then slowly let off the brake pedal.

Its funny to see how everyone has their own ways to do this lol

Viktimize

theres nothing funny at all about people not having the faintest clue of how things mechanically work, but trying to give advice about it regardless.

Parking gear on the transmission is not a brake in virtually all cars. It's not meant to hold weight and can be damaged by doing so.

This is why you put it in neutral and roll it against the curb to let the wheels hold the weight before doing anything else. Then you shift to park when you can ensure the parking gear pin isn't holding any tension.

Its quite possible that the Lexus specifically does not require any procedure due to its transmission design. But the procedure listed above is a good general thing to follow in all vehicles that will guarantee not damaging anything.

Ciggy

iTrader: (1)

Roll against the curb?

From what I understand the proper way to operate the parking brake is to put the car in park, while STILL holding your normal brake apply the parking brake. This will prevent the cars weight from being transferred to the transmission when you let get of the regular brake.

If you park the car on a hill, put it in park and let off the brake slowly you'll feel the car rest downhill a bit. This is the transfer of the weight. By applying the parking brake and then releasing your right foot you will notice little to no movement of the cars weight.

Not sure you need to worry about parking against curbs unless you live in San Fran and your afraid the parking brake will fail. lol