What's the difference between "parking" and "neutral"?
I know what neutral is, but why on automatics do they have parking. What's the difference?
I know what neutral is, but why on automatics do they have parking. What's the difference?
Anonymous
Favorite Answer
"Neutral" disengages the transmission, but then the car will coast. "Park" disengages the transmission also but, in addition, locks the transmission and stops the car from moving.
Anonymous
An automatic gearbox uses the concept of planetary gears (AKA epicyclic gears). Each system of these gears is equipped with brake pads to stop different parts of the system from spinning, or allow them to spin.
When you engage neutral, all of the brake pads in the gearbox sit in their non-contact position (none of the brakes are "on"). This allows the driveshaft (the shaft between the gearbox and the wheels) to spin without forcing the engine or any other part of the gearbox to spin.
When you engage park, all of the brake pads in the gearbox sit in their contact position (the brakes are all "on"). This stops the driveshaft from spinning at all.
Basically, leave the car in park if you don't want it to roll off, and leave it in neutral if you are being towed.