[AlanKilian]

XC40 T5 Momentum.

My town is pretty much flat, so I'm never parking on much of a hill.

I really didn't like the "Squat, then lunge" combo when starting off the first time.
ESPECIALLY when in very tight parallel-parking spaces here in Cambridge, MA.

So I looked in the user guide and figured out how to turn off the automatic-parking-brake feature and things are better.

What's the deal with this?
Should I be using the parking brake every time I park, or is there a normal parking pawl that gets engaged?

 

[sbixby]

IMO -- no. I can't imagine an automatic transmission without a locking Park pin, so with that in mind, I don't think it's worth it; the one dividing line I've used before if I'm not sure -- is it hard to disengage the Park pin when you're trying to drive away from where you parked?

My old 4Runner would be pretty hard to shift out of park on a slope, enough to make me fear damage, so I had a habit of stopping, hit parking brake, shift to neutral and let it settle against the brake, then shift to park.

 

[AlanKilian]

is it hard to disengage the Park pin when you're trying to drive away from where you parked?

Everything is automated and motorized, so I don't even get to feel how hard it is to "come out of park."

I just tap the shifter knob twice, hit the gas and away I go.
The car figures out what has to be done and does it.

 

[sbixby]

Are you driving a P8? I figured you were talking about a gasser with A/T.

AFAIK the P8 doesn't have a locking mechanism, so the brake (engaged with the "P" button) is it.

 

[AlanKilian]

No, I should have specified.

2021 XC40 T5 Momentum trim.

(I'll go edit at the top to add that.)

 

[SeattleCat]

You do not even have to select park with the P8 it automatically deploys when you exit the vehicle though you can put it on by hand.

 

[SeattleCat]

Oops not talking about the p8 my bad.

 

[Alex_Alb]

It's automatic...
I open the driver's door, the brake is activated;
I take off the driving belt, the brake is activated;
I turn off the car; the brake is activated.