Car moves back and forth when put in park

[devil899]

Hi all,

I am new to this site. Just bought a 2007 Civic LX AT. When I put the car in park from D or N, it moves back and forth before coming to a rest. This is pretty unnerving. I dont know if all cars do this or not because my previous car was a manual transmission. Has anyone else noticed this on their car?

[NIGHTHAWKSI]

use your parking brake after you put it in park

[Yodums]

All automatic cars I've driven have never done that. Park locks the brake, so it's kind unnecessary to even use the e-brake on automatic transmissions. Unfortunately, I don't have an automatic R18, so I can't tell you if this problem is common across all cars, but I'm pretty sure it's not.

[NIGHTHAWKSI]

Originally Posted by Yodums

All automatic cars I've driven have never done that. Park locks the brake, so it's kind unnecessary to even use the e-brake on automatic transmissions. Unfortunately, I don't have an automatic R18, so I can't tell you if this problem is common across all cars, but I'm pretty sure it's not.

you dont have to use the parking brake...but that is what will get rid of this "rocking" motion

[Yodums]

Originally Posted by NIGHTHAWKSI

you dont have to use the parking brake...but that is what will get rid of this "rocking" motion

I think that will only avoid the problem without fixing it. I'm pretty certain automatic cars aren't supposed to rock when in park.

[8thnycivic]

yeah my car does that too. It didn't do that when it was new.

[NIGHTHAWKSI]

Originally Posted by Yodums

I think that will only avoid the problem without fixing it. I'm pretty certain automatic cars aren't supposed to rock when in park.

yes they do...

[MAMA'S~HONDA]

I just had my car in the honda dealership and noticed the car rock back and forth with the service tech was checking out the tires. He said all of them have a little give or rock a little. If you push on it, you'll notice it won't move but so much.

[targettuning]

If you bring the car to a complete stop on level ground and place the car into park it will not rock. If you put the car into park while there is still some slight forward motion it may rock however this is discouraged. It may rock slightly because of that forward motion coming up against the parking pawl and bouncing back slightly, again not good to do. Being in park does NOT completely lock the car solidly in place, there is some leeway to move forward/backward very slightly,an inch or so if you were to push it by hand...there is some slack. There is virtually nothing wrong with the car but there may be something wrong with your proceedure for placing it into park since this is your first auto transmission.

[Cr8tive_leo]

Note to all:

Your transmission is NOT a parking brake. When you put the car in park, it does not engage any breakin mechanism, it just rests there, the transmission now bears the burden of not letting your car move, the play you feel is the tranny gears shifting back and forth, teeth slowly gringing with each other, hoping to stop the car.
Your transmission is NOT a parking brake, give you car added life, save your transmission, USE your parking brake. *hence the designation, Parking Brake* It takes the load of holding the car off the transmission, eliviating any uneeded strain on parts that could last longer when you use the Parking brake.

I learned the hard way on my Blazer, luckily enough, I can fix my Blazer cheaply , it's a '95 and loads of cheap parts. Parking brakes are your cars best friend. Use it!

Thanks, if you love your car, you'll see the benefit of the Parking brake (ebrake)

~Cr8tive

[NIGHTHAWKSI]

Originally Posted by Cr8tive_leo

Note to all:

Your transmission is NOT a parking brake. When you put the car in park, it does not engage any breakin mechanism, it just rests there, the transmission now bears the burden of not letting your car move, the play you feel is the tranny gears shifting back and forth, teeth slowly gringing with each other, hoping to stop the car.
Your transmission is NOT a parking brake, give you car added life, save your transmission, USE your parking brake. *hence the designation, Parking Brake* It takes the load of holding the car off the transmission, eliviating any uneeded strain on parts that could last longer when you use the Parking brake.

I learned the hard way on my Blazer, luckily enough, I can fix my Blazer cheaply , it's a '95 and loads of cheap parts. Parking brakes are your cars best friend. Use it!

Thanks, if you love your car, you'll see the benefit of the Parking brake (ebrake)

~Cr8tive

i am glad some one felt like typing that out...i am just to lazy to write all that

[MAMA'S~HONDA]

Originally Posted by targettuning

If you bring the car to a complete stop on level ground and place the car into park it will not rock. If you put the car into park while there is still some slight forward motion it may rock however this is discouraged. It may rock slightly because of that forward motion coming up against the parking pawl and bouncing back slightly, again not good to do. Being in park does NOT completely lock the car solidly in place, there is some leeway to move forward/backward very slightly,an inch or so if you were to push it by hand...there is some slack. There is virtually nothing wrong with the car but there may be something wrong with your proceedure for placing it into park since this is your first auto transmission.

That's all mine would move. An inch if that.

Originally Posted by Cr8tive_leo

Note to all:

Your transmission is NOT a parking brake. When you put the car in park, it does not engage any breakin mechanism, it just rests there, the transmission now bears the burden of not letting your car move, the play you feel is the tranny gears shifting back and forth, teeth slowly gringing with each other, hoping to stop the car.Your transmission is NOT a parking brake, give you car added life, save your transmission, USE your parking brake. *hence the designation, Parking Brake* It takes the load of holding the car off the transmission, eliviating any uneeded strain on parts that could last longer when you use the Parking brake.

I learned the hard way on my Blazer, luckily enough, I can fix my Blazer cheaply , it's a '95 and loads of cheap parts. Parking brakes are your cars best friend. Use it!

Thanks, if you love your car, you'll see the benefit of the Parking brake (ebrake)

~Cr8tive

This makes sense. I will start using the parking brake. Thanks for the info.

[wing_gundam]

my car has always done this

and it normal ^^ beat me to it

[baz938]

putting a car in park is the same thing as shuttin off the car and leaving it in 1st...use ur e-brake like Cr8tive_leo said...

[dextor]

Originally Posted by baz938

putting a car in park is the same thing as shuttin off the car and leaving it in 1st...use ur e-brake like Cr8tive_leo said...

I think for manual transmissions it's recommended to put the car in 1st/reverse AND use handbrake for extra protection when on an incline.

[Davori]

when an auto tranny is in park, there is a parking mechanism that engages notches and keeps the car in park. however, you should still ues the parking break so it would place less pressure on the parking mechanism and prolong its life.

for information about auto transmissions and parking: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/automa...nsmission5.htm

[devil899]

Thanks for all the info. I will start using the parking brake! But what I wanted to know is if this is normal for a car. I have driven a few rentals and never had this happen.

[Cr8tive_leo]

It's normal from my experience.

Cheers, Cr8tive

[devil899]

Originally Posted by Cr8tive_leo

It's normal from my experience.

Cheers, Cr8tive

Thanks!