Slight roll when putting in Park...

[JAZNY]

My driveway pitches about 1 foot in 35 feet (pretty flat) and the roll-back is very noticeable.

It's more travel for the slope than our old 2003 Honda Pilot which was known for this backward movement even when in gear on a hill-start.

 

[fordtastic]

Park brake

I have a 2014 explorer sport. Love it with no issues so far! Just a question for all the forum members about putting the vehicle into park. When doing so I feel the vehicle rock and roll a bit. From what I understand it's simply the park mechanism catching on the transmission to hold the vehicle. Now is slight rock and roll normal when putting the vehicle in park. Also do you use your e brake all the time or only when on a grade? Thanks

Peter

 

[peterk9]

I have a 2014 explorer sport. Love it with no issues so far! Just a question for all the forum members about putting the vehicle into park. When doing so I feel the vehicle rock and roll a bit. From what I understand it's simply the park mechanism catching on the transmission to hold the vehicle. Now is slight rock and roll normal when putting the vehicle in park. Also do you use your e brake all the time or only when on a grade? Thanks

Peter

As indicated in my PM, I have moved your thread/post to this existing one on the same issue. FYI, I notice a slight roll as well when not parked on a level surface. In those situations I have begun using the parking or emergency brake on a regular basis. It likely isn't a bad idea to give it some use either.

Peter

 

[MACP34]

All automatic transmissions will roll a little bit when put into Park without the emergency brake on. My 1969 Mustang does it, my 2003 Odyssey does it, my 1999 Ex did it. Its normal. I however ALWAYS use my e-brake. I dont want the weight of a 2.5 ton vehicle resting on a cog in the transmission to keep it from moving. The 1 second insurance of the ebrake is well worth it.

 

[Kpwweb]

All automatic transmissions will roll a little bit when put into Park without the emergency brake on. My 1969 Mustang does it, my 2003 Odyssey does it, my 1999 Ex did it. Its normal. I however ALWAYS use my e-brake. I dont want the weight of a 2.5 ton vehicle resting on a cog in the transmission to keep it from moving. The 1 second insurance of the ebrake is well worth it.

No one has mentioned motor mounts.. New hydraulic motor mounts will lead to more slop as well... They are designed to isolate motor harshness... Not to hold a 5k lb vehicle on a hill with no slop..

I also always use the parking brake as I have manual and auto cars... Just a good habit I got into... Brakes are designed to hold a vehicle.. Parking pawls and motor mounts not necessarily. Had a '64 olds with no park due to stripped pawl because of the wrong use of park!

Anyone who had replaced motor mounts will tell you--use the brake! Its simple, cheap, and its already there! (except as some have noted in freezing weather when it is wet!)...

 

[MarkOE]

Has anyone else here noticed if their explorers roll back a few inches after you put it in park? It's not a big deal to me but my wife is freaking out about it thinking she is going to hit a kid (She's a Teacher) or something.

My 2013 rolls back inches which is excessive..I took it in and the dealer instructed to put on the parking brake. Not satisfied with the answer. I've driven many cars and none move this much.

 

[peterk9]

My 2013 rolls back inches which is excessive..I took it in and the dealer instructed to put on the parking brake. Not satisfied with the answer. I've driven many cars and none move this much.

Welcome to the Forum.
I haven't really measured it but there are times when I'm sure it moves an inch or two and other times when it doesn't move at all. My previous MKT did the same thing and I'm not concerned about it at all. I'm guessing it all depends where that small pin that locks the transmission is when you put it in Park. Also the Parking Brake should be used much more often than it is.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/automatic-transmission11.htm

Peter

 

[kmarnes]

This is a big 5000 pound car. My driveway is on an incline and I use the parking brake. I never use it when I park on level ground. It does seem to roll back a little more than I'm accustomed to with smaller cars, and it's enough that I want to use the parking brake to prevent undue strain on the transmission. I have the 2017 Sport, which is AWD.

 

[JAPeterson]

If you want the vehicle to stay right where it is parked when you put it into park and your foot off of the brake you are going to have to use the parking brake. The park feature on a automatic transmission was never intended to hold a vehicle if it is on a incline. It will but I wouldn't trust it, even a slight incline.

 

[Number Twelve]

That parking thingy is called the parking pawl. All the transmissions I have seen engage the parking pawl right against the output shaft. That means the stress points are from the output shaft through the drive shaft and the differential. All the rest of the transmission isn't even aware of any stress.

How strong is it?
I had a car (Ford Fairlane) parked in front of my house when a drunk driver hit it head on. My car was driven backwards so hard that one rear tire jumped the curb and plowed a furrow, but the drive shaft never rotated.

My lawyer says, "Do not try this at home." There have been several models in which the shifter did not engage the parking pawl reliably, and a few fools who didn't actually put the car in Park. The fact that I saw this happen does not guarantee you will have the same results.

 

[Macnerd]

If you guys think the Ex rolls back a lot you should take a ride in an old Grand Marquis. I just use the parking brake to save the stress on the transmission.

 

[Rob_I]

2013 PIU, approx 80k. Former PD captain take home, never on patrol. Impeccable maintenance.

Today was the first time I experienced the roll-back phenomenon, but with a twist. I was sitting idle for maybe about an hour in a parking lot talking on the phone. Went to put it in drive and couldn't. I was stuck in park. Did the usual speedy diagnostics. Yes I had brake lights, etc. Finally turned the ignition off, then on. Was able to shift out of park.

BUT...

When I shifted into park again to test, I noticed "the roll" and an audible TICK when it stopped rolling a few inches, like it found it's happy place with the parking gear. Sounded like something coming from under the dash, but who knows. Repeatable a number of times. I tested going a little in Reserve and Drive and both the same - little roll and a tick. This is the first time I have ever had the roll, can't shift out of park, the tick, or any combination.

Drive 5 min to the house and put it in park...roll/tick. Turned ignition off/on and moved forward a bit, nothing. Park as 'normal' no roll no tick. I'm at a loss.

I'm pretty mechanically car savvy and this does not sound completely coincidental. However, this is the first thing I've owned with THIS much drive electronics. I'm used to pre 2010 stuff.

 

[tlveik]

Mine will roll back a little if it's on a slope. I would use the parking brake more than I do except that it hurts my foot when I do. I have a problem with my foot that makes it hurt when I use the parking brake. If I could use my heal it would be okay but it's difficult to get your heal on that thing.

Is there any way to add an electric parking brake to the 18?

 

[Rob_I]

In my case it was essentially flat every time. It's almost like the residual energy in the transmission, be it in forward or reverse. Foot on brake, put it gear forward or reverse, then in park, still with the foot on the brake, and it will roll in that direction when you let the brake off. If I wanted to, I could actually inch the whole vehicle forward or back by just shift/park/brake release.

 

[WPM55]

There's not much to be lubricated on the brake itself, it's just a cable. Which is why it will tend to rust in place if not ever used. I've heard of the parking pin becoming worn very quickly on these trucks, which is why I always use it on my 11 year old vehicle as backup. I mean, I don't see why you wouldn't utilize the extra piece of insurance by your left foot. Only using that single pin to keep your vehicle in place?

 

[WPM55]

I have never seen an automatic transmission not do this.

Some vehicles do it a little more than others but rest assured it's never going to move more than an inch or two. It's a combination of a little bit of "slop" in the parking gear, the suspension, and the drivetrain. All these parts that are designed to move will naturally move to a resting point.

It will never go more than an inch or two. Might scare a kid if it were to bump them but won't move far enough to hurt anyone.

Has anyone else here noticed if their explorers roll back a few inches after you put it in park? It's not a big deal to me but my wife is freaking out about it thinking she is going to hit a kid (She's a Teacher) or something.

I believe in setting the parking brake before shifting to park otherwise the trans is holding the vehicle and that's too much pressure for it. The p brake should hold the car from rolling, even if it only rolls its just a few inches even if not on a hill. If the p brake is adjusted correctly it will keep the car in place before shifting to the park position and when shifting out of park it will shift into gear very smoothly because the weight the car is not on the Trans. I was taught this is the way to have the weight of the car always being held by the p brake. Doesn't make sense in calling it a"parking brake "?

 

[peterk9]

The situation is being addressed with the 6th gen.. Automatic Parking Brake automatically engages when shifted to park

Peter