Parking an automatic car

[sonjadog]

I have just got my first automatic car, and I am not sure about the sequence for parking it. It has gears R-N-D/S a P button, and then a brake. What I did today was when I stopped, I put it in N, put on the handbrake and then pressed the P button. That worked fine, but I am not sure if that is the correct order or if I should do it another way? Do I have to go into N or can I do straight from D/S to P? Handbrake or P first? Please let me know how to do it. I checked the manual, but it really wasn't clear. Thanks for your help!

Not really as I drove an auto for around 5 years in the past. Just prefer the experience of driving manual.

No harm in checking, as previously mentioned you can go directly from D to P, just ensure you're 100 % stationary, otherwise you can damage the gearbox. (because P locks the transmission)

NEVER, leave the car in D when you're not in full control, i.e. reaching to into the glove box, or getting out of the car etc, as you're more likely to accidentally depress the accelerator when turning or getting back in.

This usually what happens when you hear of people driving into shop windows etc.

You may also discover your transmission will shift in P when you open the drivers door, but don't rely on it.

Thank you for the advice! I drove to work this morning, stopped, pressed P (straight from D), and then put on the handbrake. So far so good (and I hope I don't go out later and find it has rolled off somewhere...). :-D

That is bad advice as the handbrake needs to work for the MOT.
If you don't use it then it increases the risk of it seizing up.
It is also bad for the automatic gearbox and shortens it's life.

As per my update the car apparently puts it on automatically when you put the car in park so it doesn’t make any difference. The switch is just for a manual override like if you’re manoeuvring on a hill or something. So I wasn’t doing it wrong!

I think I have a handbrake button somewhere but I've never used it.

I just stop and then press the engine off button. I only put it into P if I stop briefly but, otherwise, I go straight to turning the engine off.

My D/R/P/N control isn't a stick down where a gear stick normally lives though. It's a toggle/stalk thing on the right of the steering wheel where windscreen controls normally live. In fact, it looks exactly the same as the windscreen control and can confirm if you put it into reverse whilst driving because you thought it was the windscreen washers, nothing happens! 😬

I have one toggle that does indicators and windscreens on the left.