[VOLDAR]

I don't know if I am the only one, but I experience something strange about the gear stick. I leave the car infront of the garage - entry is at the bassement, so it's in a slope (not in a ramp). Each morning I find it hard to engage the transmission in R from P. As soon as I put it in R first time, there is no problem at all to "play" with the gears afterwards. I have no problem when the car is parked at "level". Only when parked with the front towards on a slope. Do you happen to experience the same? Is it fine to force the gear stick?

P.S. Transmission is automatic, if you happen to ask.

 

[PratoN]

Not sure – it hasn’t happened to me yet. But whenever I park uphill I use the parking brake.

 

[VOLDAR]

I do use the parking brake also - old habit since almost forever (manual cars all my life). This Focus is the first automatic one I ever had. Still, I have to really pull hard on the stick at first time to make the R. Once there, everything works as expected.

 

[Elizabeth]

The tranny is a 'auto-manual' the manual part should be the clue that you should start using the parking brake before putting the car into park.
If you do, you will never have a problem again.
Yeah your tranny is 'locked' becaue it is a manual transmission and the gears are all that are holding the car in place. Not a good idea. (mostly because you don't have a manual clutch)
So for ALL the auto tranny 2012 Focus owners out there: start using the parking brake as a matter of habit. manual tranny owners use it all the time. (a few do not, but that is another matter)
SO moral of story : USE THE PARKING BRAKE, and set it before you put the tranny in park.
You tranny will love you for it. [thumb]
And yeah, pull HARD [strongman] on the parking brake. It should be on enough so your car will stall if you 'forget' to let it off..
(mine does) [smackbum]

 

[VOLDAR]

Elizabeth, see my answer above. Even in my first post with the pictures of my car you can see the parking brake on. http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=269885.
I am thinking about how much should I pull on the parking brake then ? Once I pull too much on it (last car) and had the wire for the rear brakes redone.

P.S. I tested the hand-brake as it is right now, and it keeps the car in place even if I put the trany to N. So... it is not the misuse of the hand-brake. And yes, I don't see the "locking" unless the car sits at least 3-4 hours. Maybe the parking brake lose a bit of its "force" after a certain amount of time (being new)... I don't have any other explanation for now.

 

[ScallaDaBalla]

What happens is when you put the car in P and then release your foot from the brakes, the car will essentially not roll anywhere because of the gears in place which prevents it from moving. But allowing the car to roll to the 'stop' while in P will make it difficult to shift from P to R because there is pressure on the gears because there is weight on the gear engaged in P.

This is usually the case in most automatics and def the case in my '85 F150 with AOD.

Perfect order of steps and you will never have this issue again (as discussed earlier in this thread)

1. once car is in the parking spot desired, put car in P
2. DO NOT let your foot off the main brakes
3. Pull the parking brake handle with one good strong pull. Basically, you want the car to rely on the parking brake alone so if its enough to keep the car from moving on any slope while the car is in neutral...thats the perfect amount of pressure. Try this while the car is in N just to learn the amount of pressure needed.
4. Once the parking break is in place...go ahead and release the main brakes.
5. if the car moves an inch or more...you didnt use enough pressure on the parking brake.

This is what I do in my truck, and my wife's Mazda 6.

 

[VOLDAR]

Thank you all for the instructions !

 

[Focus805]

SOP for automatic transmission life: Come to a stop and put your foot on the brakes. Engage Neutral. Engage parking brake. Remove foot from brakes. Shift into park using the brake pedal if you have to in order to shift into park.

When you do this you will subtly feel the weight of the car transferring to the braking system as opposed to the tranny.

Also, come to a full stop when in reverse before engaging drive lest you beat up your clutches.

 

[Hypnotoad]

The tranny is a 'auto-manual' the manual part should be the clue that you should start using the parking brake before putting the car into park.
If you do, you will never have a problem again.
Yeah your tranny is 'locked' becaue it is a manual transmission and the gears are all that are holding the car in place. Not a good idea. (mostly because you don't have a manual clutch)

Incorrect. The Focus DCT is mechanically locked in park just like any other automatic. It is not held in place by gear tension.

http://www.getrag.com/en/231

 

[Elizabeth]

Incorrect. The Focus DCT is mechanically locked in park just like any other automatic. It is not held in place by gear tension.

http://www.getrag.com/en/231

Proven stupid again! jeez. What can i do? [?|]

 

[PratoN]

Incorrect. The Focus DCT is mechanically locked in park just like any other automatic. It is not held in place by gear tension.

http://www.getrag.com/en/231

So the tough yank from park to reverse might just be the pawl disengaging? I'd still stick with the ole parking brake.

 

[VOLDAR]

... Also, come to a full stop when in reverse before engaging drive lest you beat up your clutches.

Thanks Focus805, I already do it so.