Thread: Is hill auto clunk from park to drive bad for gearbox?

You would be right, putting the car in Neutral, engaging the hand brake and easing off the foot brake to let it settle before putting it into Park is a good habit on hills - especially very steep hills.

Otherwise, I believe, there is a lot of pressure on the little pin or pawl in the transmission that engages park.

I know of someone who put their car into park on a very steep hill - and couldn't get it out... they had to tow the car up hill slightly to take the pressure of the pin to get it out of park.

Originally Posted by Bytemrk

You would be right, putting the car in Neutral, engaging the hand brake and easing off the foot brake to let it settle before putting it into Park is a good habit on hills - especially very steep hills.

Otherwise, I believe, there is a lot of pressure on the little pin or pawl in the transmission that engages park.

I know of someone who put their car into park on a very steep hill - and couldn't get it out... they had to tow the car up hill slightly to take the pressure of the pin to get it out of park.

I was posting much the same thing as you, Mark. The whole mass of the car comes down on the pawl. Had to jack a car up to get it to let go once. But then I saw what the OP said "My problem and question is that sometimes no matter how careful I am with brakes and handbrake there is a stiffness and clunk going forward reverse, visa versa or from park to drive etc."
The vice versa thing could be a concern, because once the pawl has disengaged, the problem should go away. I wonder if an engine mount could be a problem. So hard to diagnose something like this remotely.

Thanks heaps for your advice guys. I suspect it's just my dodgy wording that's concerning...

On reflection I can't recall an issue except getting out of Park. It's never been really difficult but it has been a tad bad on occasion.

Now I know to relax the car onto the handbrake while in Neutral then selecting Park. It's obvious now I think about it, but I probably didn't do that on the bad occasions.

Thanks heaps for being so helpful.

Originally Posted by Walruslike

Thanks heaps for your advice guys. I suspect it's just my dodgy wording that's concerning...

On reflection I can't recall an issue except getting out of Park. It's never been really difficult but it has been a tad bad on occasion.

Now I know to relax the car onto the handbrake while in Neutral then selecting Park. It's obvious now I think about it, but I probably didn't do that on the bad occasions.

Thanks heaps for being so helpful.

Strangely enough, that's what we're here for... You'll get used to it. Lol.