Parking Pawl
The parking pawl is a metal lever in an automatic gearbox that locks the output shaft when P is selected.
What is Parking Pawl?
It engages a toothed wheel on the transmission output. Electric and many modern cars use an electrically operated park lock. It is not designed to stop a moving car. On a steep slope, apply the parking brake before selecting P and releasing the footbrake; this keeps the car's weight off the pawl and makes P easier to release later.
How it works
Selecting P pushes the pawl into the teeth, preventing the wheels from turning.
Why it matters for your car
Always use the parking brake on slopes to reduce load on the pawl. Selecting P while moving can damage the pawl.
Other terms
- Automatic High Beam
- Brake Hose
- Brake Line
- Cabin Air Filter
- Car Wax And Paint Sealant
- Cylinder Deactivation (Cylinder On Demand)
- Cylinder Honing
- Driving Licence Categories
- E-Fuels (Synthetic Fuels)
- Engine Coolant (Antifreeze)
- Flywheel
- Fuel Filter
- Leak Detection Pump (EVAP Leak Check)
- Lumbar Support
- Nitrogen Tyre Inflation
- Pushrod Engine (OHV)
- Retreaded Tyre
- Secondary Air Injection
- Welcome Lights (Approach Lighting)
- Wheel Horsepower (WHP)