Toyota garage told my mum to park in neutral

StaffieTerrier

My parents have a really steep drive. My first car didn't have the best hand brake so I always left it in gear. It's second nature now for me to leave my car in gear. I automatically put it into neutral before I start the engine. I get confused when I get in to start it when OH has left it in neutral.

reeac

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. (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.

I don't know about anyone else but I ALWAYS check that the gearbox is in neutral before I start a manual car but then I leave such a car in first or reverse if parked on much of a hill. Incidentally, American car manufacturers used to [and probably still do] have a test routine to ensure that an auto. car parked in "park" can withstand a parking bump of a certain severity without damaging anything in the transmission.

wealdroam

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?

No, the garageman was not talking nonsense.

oldagetraveller

The Yaris user manual advises to leave the MMT in reverse if the front is downwards and in 1st facing uphill. I have an MMT and leave it in both neutral and whichever gear is recommended by the manual dependent on whichever way it's parked.
If in neutral the engine will not turn over until the brake pedal is depressed nor will it if in gear. If left in gear switch on ignition, depress brake pedal move to neutral then start engine.
Just treat it as you would a fully manual transmission, park in neutral, in gear or whatever you normally do or want to do.
Do as the driver's manual suggests or leave it in gear, your choice. It'll do no harm.
The "garage man" obviously hasn't read the handbook or done his homework so he is talking nonsense.

clangnuts

Parking in gear unnecessarily can damage the gear box beyond repair, if the vehicle is shunted hard enough by another vehicle. That happened to a minibus my work used to have. The fool driving it, always parked in gear (even when not on an incline). Drunk driver slammed into the back of it, while it was parked. The minibus was a write off, as the running gear/gear box was destroyed in the impact. Garage said if it had not been parked in gear, all it would have needed was some new lights and back doors!

Daz2009

I wouldn't dream of parking a manual gearbox car in neutral.
Why ? Because I once jump started another car off mine so obviously at that time it was in neutral with the hand brake on.Turns out the handbrake wasn't well adjusted and some time later the car rolled off down a hill ( it was parked in a side street with a very slight gradient) and smashed into a house.The car was written off and I had to pay to have the front door of the house repaired.
Better to be safe than sorry.

thegirlintheattic

I always park my manual in gear, must be a habit. So did/does my driving instructor, granddad, uncle, dad and OH. I also always check it is out of gear before starting.

Strider590

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?

Toyota's require neutral gear and the clutch depressed in order to start.
He's probably had lots of customers complaining that their car won't start and so now tells them to leave it in neutral/park.

Robert928

Surely if we works with them everyday then he knows the score?

missile

Do whatever you like, it is not important