Are you parking your automatic car incorrectly? A step-by-step guide to avoid damaging the transmission.

Car maintenance is essential for its proper functioning and the preservation of the useful life of the body and all its components. Therefore, it is essential to know the correct way to perform procedures such as starting and stopping the car.

One of the central components of a vehicle's operation is the gearbox, which can be manual or automatic. Often, the ease of operation offered by automatic transmissions leads to neglecting the proper procedures.

With automatic transmissions, gearbox maintenance is very important, and if it's damaged, its repair is also very expensive due to the systems within it. The transmission is what makes the car "run" and must be properly maintained.

This type of box has a mechanical locking element that prevents the car's output shaft from moving while parked. This element is illustrated with the letter "P" in a position on the gear lever.

This part is designed to hold the vehicle when parked, but not to fully support its weight. Therefore, it's essential to know, step by step, how to park and completely stop an automatic car:

The recommended order is so that, when the handbrake is applied first, the weight is transferred to the car's braking system and not to the part, which is called the parking pawl and is not designed for that job.

This recommendation applies to both flat and inclined terrain. On slopes, you should also turn your wheels toward the curb (if going downhill) or away from it (if going uphill) as an extra safety measure. These habits not only protect the vehicle's mechanics but also prevent accidents.

In this sense, following the recommended procedure will preserve the lifespan of your automatic transmission. Additionally, properly parking your car could save you a significant amount of money on spare parts or repairs.

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