Ok well here's a story for you all.

Saturday as most of us witnessed it was quite icy and snowed in most places. I went about my business as usual going to my friends and parking up and taking his car to the gym. There was a little snow on his drive which has a not harsh but moderate incline towards a garage. I parked up and left the car in N as I usually do and did it further away from the garage from the norm facing downhill. As the hours went buy the sleet/snow turned to rain. I came outside to get my gym kit from the car and behold! My shining new furby had slowly (over the course of 2 hours) slid down the drive and right into the ***ng garage handle! I was in a state of shock! I reversed it right out slipping back up frantically trying to get it onto level grounds. We scrutinised the very slight indent the handle had left in the bumper (the small 2cm strip above the num plate and below the grille) instantly we set to work massaging a autoglym cutting compound to soften the edges of the indent as to take the edge off. After 1 and a half hours we were happy with the preliminary result, I checke it in daylight and i told my dad i would give him £100 if he could spot it to which he failed. So jobs a good un! What comes from this is now I will leave it in P as If I had locked it in park mode it probably would not of happened! :-(

Ok well here's a story for you all.

Saturday as most of us witnessed it was quite icy and snowed in most places. I went about my business as usual going to my friends and parking up and taking his car to the gym. There was a little snow on his drive which has a not harsh but moderate incline towards a garage. I parked up and left the car in N as I usually do and did it further away from the garage from the norm facing downhill. As the hours went buy the sleet/snow turned to rain. I came outside to get my gym kit from the car and behold! My shining new furby had slowly (over the course of 2 hours) slid down the drive and right into the ***ng garage handle! I was in a state of shock! I reversed it right out slipping back up frantically trying to get it onto level grounds. We scrutinised the very slight indent the handle had left in the bumper (the small 2cm strip above the num plate and below the grille) instantly we set to work massaging a autoglym cutting compound to soften the edges of the indent as to take the edge off. After 1 and a half hours we were happy with the preliminary result, I checke it in daylight and i told my dad i would give him £100 if he could spot it to which he failed. So jobs a good un! What comes from this is now I will leave it in P as If I had locked it in park mode it probably would not of happened! :-(

No handbrake on?

Yes handbrake applied, two of his cars have done thy now one crept slowly straight into the wall :-/

Doh! At least you fixed it...

P = Park. I think the clue is in the name.

Doesn't the hand break only apply the rear breaks?

From highway design guides it states that cars can slide on an 8% slope when it gets cold.

I always leave it in P as well, but I wouldn't believe that the handbrake alone would be insufficient... Really bad luck...

It's just slowly created a icy path as the rain and slush has merged with the snow and frozen ground :-/ the only luck that came out of it was the fact it's 95% un noticeable! :-)

Yeah unlucky.

Always leave your car in Park. It prevents it rolling in either direction.

I thought it was the rule when you park to leave it in P, I'm sorry you had that accident! but happy that you have sorted it now!!

It'll be spring next month :p

There's no rule as such about leaving the car in park however you must use the handbrake and not just park.

It has the same effect as leaving a manual in gear that it would prevent the front wheels from turning so probably would have stopped it from sliding.

In america people generally don't bother with the handbrake and just use park.

Phil

Yea I know it's unheard of but autoglym metal polish on painted plastic, Saved the day!!

If it slid surely putting it in park wouldn't make any difference?

Sent from my phone....

If it slid surely putting it in park wouldn't make any difference?

Sent from my phone....

Maybe not. but at least all 4 wheel would be locked. Just bad luck, If it got really cold nothing would stop it sliding...

It wouldnt have slipped. It would have creeped if it was held on the handbrake

It wouldnt have slipped. It would have creeped if it was held on the handbrake

Dam my own stupidity!! :'( oh well at least its fixed and lesson learnt!

park...has the same effect as leaving a manual in gear

I'm being picky but I think that's not quite correct - in a manual car left in gear (which it always should be IMHO) the driven wheels are held by the compression of the engine. In any auto, DSG included, there is a mechanical transmission lock activated by position P.

Maybe the engine is declutched in P as otherwise it wouldn't be possible to start it?

yes bad one mate, but you have to leave in park if you dont you wont be able to start the car anyway, so park all the way

DSG should always be left in park when unattended.

I can see how this can easily happen in the snow as my drive is similar, and what happens is the Handbrake only locks the 2 back wheels so if the full weight of the car is just on the 2 rear wheels and they have ice under them and start the slide the two front wheels will just roll, but if in Park mode the gearbox locks the 2 front wheels also so all 4 wheels cannot move

Can start in P or N?

In reply to iceman :-)

You can start in park. In fact you should... N should be used in situations you are waiting a long time, certain traffic lights, railway crossings ect

Can start in P or N?

You can start in either P or N. It is not correct that you'll be unable to start it If you forget it in N.

Edited 8 February, 201214 yr by newbie69

I'm being picky but I think that's not quite correct - in a manual car left in gear (which it always should be IMHO) the driven wheels are held by the compression of the engine. In any auto, DSG included, there is a mechanical transmission lock activated by position P.

Maybe the engine is declutched in P as otherwise it wouldn't be possible to start it?

Correct! What I was trying to say is that it's the same in that the wheels would be lock to an extent. Obviously if there was enough force it could start to turn the engine over.

I always leave mine in gear as the handbrake can quite easily slip and at least there is a contingency plan!

Just good practice really and also gets you in the habbit of starting with the clutch down as you should do anyway.

Phil

I'm being picky but I think that's not quite correct - in a manual car left in gear (which it always should be IMHO) the driven wheels are held by the compression of the engine. In any auto, DSG included, there is a mechanical transmission lock activated by position P.

Maybe the engine is declutched in P as otherwise it wouldn't be possible to start it?

You are correct.

In P the no the clutches are disengaged, there is no connection with the engine, the gearbox is mechanically locked to prevent the front wheels turning.

In many auto/dsg VAG cars you can't remove the ignition key without the selector being in P

Cheers

Lee

..

Edited 8 February, 201214 yr by logiclee