5eat question about parking on inclines.

I recently got a Outback XT with a 5eat. I park on my drive way which has a slight incline, so here is the issue.

 

When I return to my car and start it and then go to put it in reverse it seems to engage and or slam into to gear with a loud noise.

 

Is this normal or am I doing something wrong?

 

This is the first Auto I have ever owned.

I'm not sure if this solution will work for your car as well, but for my Honda Accord, when I park, I'll shift to Park and keep my foot on the brake while engaging the handbrake. Then I let go of the pedal.

 

If I shift to Park, lift my foot off (car rolls back slightly), then engage the handbrake, when I start up, it will be a bit more stubborn going into reverse.

How loud is the noise? Is it a grinding?

Yeah could be the parking pawl in the transmission. Try the aforementioned, holding your foot on the brake while putting it in park and applying the handbrake. Then release the regular brakes.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parking_pawl

the "slam" is the park pawl releasing.........beating a dead horse, I know.

follow axis's instructions

Follow axis's directions, this happens to me aswell and I do the same thing as axis does. Also when shifting into R or D while your pulling out of incline push the brake down fairly hard to reduce any roll foward/back this less'ns the slaming sound by not putting as much stress on the gear while your trying to get it in gear. Don't worry it scared the shiznits out of me when I parked in my friends driveway now im just use to it.

I've gotten into the habit of putting the car into neutral, pulling the handbrake up and making the car doesn't roll, then putting the car into park. Got rid of issues of putting the car into gear on inclines for me. Now, after three years, it's just the normal parking procedure for me, even on level ground...

From your owners manual:

 

P (Park)

This position is for parking the vehicle and starting the

engine. In this position, the transmission is mechanically

locked to prevent the vehicle from rolling freely.

 

When you park the vehicle, first set the parking brake

fully, then shift into the P position. Do not hold the vehicle

with only the transmission.

 

To shift the selector lever from the P to any other position,

you should depress the brake pedal fully then move the

selector lever. This prevents the vehicl efrom lurching when

it is started.

Try the aforementioned, holding your foot on the brake while putting it in park and applying the handbrake. Then release the regular brakes.

Even better, to ensure all of the weight is on the brake:

Put it in Neutral, pull the e-brake, release the foot off the brakes, brake again and put it in Park. By doing the procedure quoted you could still have the weight of the car in the tranny, I know that my e-brake rolls forward an inch.

^mine too. ill give that a try.

Thanks everyone for you info. Here is what works for us.

 

Pull up the driveway and stop.

Pull up emergency brake so that car does not role back.

Release foot brake and let cars weight rest on emergency brake.

Put in park.

 

After entering vehicle again placing in reverse it is a very smooth transition on a hill and no loud clunking noise at all.

 

Thanks everyone.

I've just always had a habbit to use the E brake, especially since this i my first auto as well