Toyota garage told my mum to park in neutral

Humphrey10

The Toyota garage told my mum to park her Yaris (semi-automatic/'multi mode manual' (I think it is called that in the instruction manual) in neutral, as it does not have a 'Park' gear.

I think this sounds like nonsense, and the car's instruction manual agrees with me - it says to park the car as you would a manual car, in 1st gear or in reverse depending on the slope of the ground.

Was the Toyota garage man talking nonsense?

Trebor16

I was always taught to park with the gears in neutral. I know some people might like the added security of putting the car in gear whilst parked on a gradient but turning the steering towards the kerb is an effective safeguard to prevent the car from rolling down a hill.

worried_jim

I always park in neutral or park if in an auto, my dad always leaves it in gear- I think its a generation thing from when hand brakes weren't very reliable years ago.

birkee

Not to forget, that in manual cars left in gear, it would be possible to accidentally start a car in gear, and have it run away with you. (into a car parked in front maybe?)
Please don't throw handbrakes at me .... it started when handbrakes were rubbish.

This is going to come down to personal preferances I think. There's no rules.

scheming_gypsy

Humphrey10 wrote: »

The Toyota garage told my mum to park her Yaris (semi-automatic/'multi mode manual' (I think it is called that in the instruction manual) in neutral, as it does not have a 'Park' gear.

I think this sounds like nonsense, and the car's instruction manual agrees with me - it says to park the car as you would a manual car, in 1st gear or in reverse depending on the slope of the ground.

Was the Toyota garage man talking nonsense?

and you'd park a manual car in neutral. If you were on a steep hill you could park in first or reverse, but like the Toyota man said 'park the car as you would a manual'

Humphrey10

birkee wrote: »

Not to forget, that in manual cars left in gear, it would be possible to accidentally start a car in gear, and have it run away with you.

The car in question won't start if it's in gear, it has to be in neural to start it.

I've only ever parked three cars, all were automatic and had a 'park' gear, so I don't know what one does with manual cars you see.

I was just going by what the car manual said (park it in gear), also I read this where the coroner says park on gear on a hill: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-14933903

If the car instruction manual says park it in gear, presumably it will not damage the car in any way to park it in gear?

Gavin83

I've always driven manuals and always park in neutral. I wouldn't consider parking in gear, just seems wrong to me.

Ghostrider

I always park in neutral unless on a really steep hill, in which case I also turn my wheels in towards the curb.

Mrs_Arcanum

The garage gave the correct answer.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Common sense should be applied, if you're on a slope then parking in gear is sensible.

The problem with these gearboxes from hell is that you have to think about the sequence of leaving the thing in gear, and then restarting, it's not something that comes naturally.

As for modern handbrakes being so wonderful, a particular German car with an electric handbrake has a nasty habit of rolling away once the brakes cool down, many incidences reported.

prowla

Like pretty much everybody else here:
a. I park our manual car in neutral with the handbrake on, unless on a steep hill, in which case I'll also leave it in gear and turn the steering wheel in to the curve.
b. I park our automatic car in "P" and put on the handbrake.