do I need to place auto transmission to Neutral or Park before turning off the engine?

I have a question........Please help.

I usually turn off the engine once I park my car no matter what
position of my transmission is (but mostly it was at "D"). I was told
by my friend to place auto transmission to Neutral or Park before
turning off the engine. He also said it would harm the engine and/or
the transmission system if I didn't do that.

Is it correct?

Thanks,
Parinya

On 16 Apr 2006 00:53:21 -0700, "Parinya"
> wrote:

>I have a question........Please help.
>
>I usually turn off the engine once I park my car no matter what
>position of my transmission is (but mostly it was at "D"). I was told
>by my friend to place auto transmission to Neutral or Park before
>turning off the engine. He also said it would harm the engine and/or
>the transmission system if I didn't do that.
>
>Is it correct?


It won't harm anything at all. Until you get out of the car
without putting it in park, and the car begins to roll.
Get in the habit of shutting down and securing the car
properly.

"Parinya" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I have a question........Please help.
He also said it would harm the engine and/or
> the transmission system if I didn't do that.
>
> Is it correct?

Not really. It will not harm the engine.

Use Park to keep your car from rolling when you park. (Clever
coincidence, those two words, huh?)

Be sure the car is stationary before you put the tranny into Park.
If you are rolling along and drop the tranny into Park, you may
be in for a big $urpri$e.

antwn_5k wrote:

> you always want to put it into park, always. There's really no reason to
> leave it in D to shut off ur car. Alot of cars wont even let you do
> that.
>
>

You can turn the engine off with the car in gear. You have to put it
into park to get the key out.

I think the question regarded sequence, whether it was better to put it
into park before shutting down or whether you could shut down and then
put it into park.

Don't know if it's bad for the transmission to turn the engine off while
it's in gear, but it's a PITA when you're used to a manual transmission,
where it's normal to leave it in reverse when it's parked.

Sorry about my English. Maybe I didn't write my question clearly. What
I'm wondering is *not* whether the gear is in "P" or "D" position
*after* shutting off the engine.

But what I'm wondering is whether it would harm the engine and/or the
transmission system if I stop the car and rotate (*not* yet remove) the
key just to turn off the engine while the gear is being in "D"
position.

Thanks,
Parinya

No, it will do no harm. Sometimes it is needed if the gas pedal gets
stuck down so you can get a vehicle under control.

You will lose your power steering and power brakes though.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Parinya wrote:
>
> Sorry about my English. Maybe I didn't write my question clearly. What
> I'm wondering is *not* whether the gear is in "P" or "D" position
> *after* shutting off the engine.
>
> But what I'm wondering is whether it would harm the engine and/or the
> transmission system if I stop the car and rotate (*not* yet remove) the
> key just to turn off the engine while the gear is being in "D"
> position.
>
> Thanks,
> Parinya

"Parinya" > wrote in message
oups.com...

> But what I'm wondering is whether it would harm the engine and/or the
> transmission system if I stop the car and rotate (*not* yet remove) the
> key just to turn off the engine while the gear is being in "D"
> position.
>
> Thanks,
> Parinya

Absolutely will do no harm. Whoever told you that does not know what
he or she is talking about.

It won't harm the engine or transmission. When it was common for engines to diesel after being turned off (caused by emission controls with a carburetor) many people would eliminate the problem by turning off the engine while it was in drive.

Parinya wrote:
>
> I have a question........Please help.
>
> I usually turn off the engine once I park my car no matter what
> position of my transmission is (but mostly it was at "D"). I was told
> by my friend to place auto transmission to Neutral or Park before
> turning off the engine. He also said it would harm the engine and/or
> the transmission system if I didn't do that.
>
> Is it correct?
>
> Thanks,
> Parinya

--
Mike Walsh
West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A.

hhhhmmmn!!!
good question, had never thought about it, my key will not come out of
the switch until I put the bugger in park.

and I always remove my key before alighting, the buzzer - tells me to -
and not to be stupid.

mho
vƒe

a lot of questions being asked in this forum is answered in the owner's
manual that comes with each car.

it doesn't hurt to kick an issue around - but sometimes you get only
subjective answers that have no merit.

a review of the owner's manual can be an informative experience.

mho
vƒe