I'v always wondered what the proper technique for parking and starting a car with an auto tranny. I used to park by comming to a top, pulling up the e-brake, then moving the shifter to Park. I'd move out by first releasing the e-brake, then selecting the D gear. (All while my foot is on the brake).

But a while ago someone told me that when starting out you're suppose to first select a gear then release the e-brake. So this is the way I'm doing it now.

So which way is it suppose to be done?

 

It doesn't really matter what sequence you follow (most of the time). The only reason you would want to release the ebrake last is when you are parked on a hill. The more of an incline, the more this is important. The car is held when in "PARK" by the "parking pawl". This is a little pin that sticks out (on the output shaft of the tranny) to lock the drive wheels and prevent them from turning. If you are on a hill, the weight of the car "can" rest on this parking pawl. To minimize or eliminate the strain on the pawl, you would always hold the car with brakes, then ebrake, then placing tranny in PARK. When going to a "PARKED" car on a severe incline, if you were to release the ebrake and also not have your foot on the brake, the car's weight would roll back (or forward) onto the pawl. On a relatively level surface, it doesn't matter what you do.