Parking on a steep hill takes a little more care than parking on the flat. Do it right and your car stays put and your transmission stays healthy; do it wrong and you risk the car rolling or straining the parking pawl. Here is how to park on a hill safely.
Always use the parking brake
On any real incline, set the parking brake firmly - it is designed for exactly this. Relying on the transmission's Park position alone puts all the holding load on one small part (the parking pawl), which can wear or, on a steep grade, be hard to shift out of. The parking brake shares that load. See how the parking brake works.
The right order to prevent strain
To avoid loading the parking pawl:
- Come to a full stop and hold the brake pedal.
- Set the parking brake firmly.
- Then shift to Park (automatic) or into gear (manual - first gear facing uphill, reverse facing downhill).
- Release the brake pedal last - the parking brake takes the load, not the transmission.
Turn your wheels
- Facing downhill: turn the front wheels toward the curb, so if the car creeps it rolls into the curb and stops.
- Facing uphill with a curb: turn the wheels away from the curb and let the car roll back slightly so a tire rests against the curb.
- Uphill or downhill with no curb: turn the wheels toward the edge of the road so a rolling car heads away from traffic.
Keep the parking brake healthy
Using the parking brake regularly keeps its cable from seizing - see stuck parking brake. If it will not hold on a hill, have it inspected and adjusted; the rear brakes and shoes or pads may need service. Keep the wear items fresh with quality pads and shoes. A well-maintained parking brake is your safety net on every hill.