# Shifting question



## Coco (Apr 30, 2002)

First off, my driveway is in a decline. When I move the shifter out of park, it doesn't ease right out as if I was on a level surface. When it finally comes out of park, it makes a loud noise. Not sure what it is. The only reason I question it is because when I do the same with my wife's car (Mazda Protege), it slides right out of park without any noise. My car is obviously an auto. Anyone have a clue?


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## Ruben (Oct 15, 2002)

You're not using the parking brake. And if you are, you're taking the brake off before you're shifting out of park.


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## Coco (Apr 30, 2002)

Ahhh...this makes perfect sense. I have to get my ebrake adjusted because it doesn't do much. Even if I take the ebrake off before or after I shift, it does the same thing. Thanks!


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

Coco said:


> Ahhh...this makes perfect sense. I have to get my ebrake adjusted because it doesn't do much. Even if I take the ebrake off before or after I shift, it does the same thing. Thanks!


Not sure exactly how it's done on the Altima (haven't got mine yet!), but usually it's fairly easy to take the slack out of the cable. Most cars have a bolt down below the base of the handle (it's all alone and usually you can see it connected to the cable somehow). Tighten it with a ratchet until you get some resistance when the handle is raised and presto, problem fixed.


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## altima04 (Feb 28, 2004)

Ruben said:


> You're not using the parking brake. And if you are, you're taking the brake off before you're shifting out of park.


wait a min i was always told that u always put the e-brake on befroe u like shift it out of "n" or "p" or anything so ur not supposed to do that??


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

You just have tension on the parking brake paw as it is called. Imagine sliding a rod out of a wheel with holes that has tension weight on it... that is exactly what is happening. The Mazda, I think uses a slightly different design and the car weighs less too. Try engaging the parking brake before putting it in park and see if it is any different.

Troy


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

KA24Tech said:


> You just have tension on the parking brake paw as it is called.


Close.. but it's actually called a "parking pawl" and it resides inside the transmission. It's not really a 'brake' though.. your analogy of a pin through a wheel with holes in it was closer to the truth.


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

You are correct it is a parking pawl. I forgot the "l" and should have left out the brake because it is not associated with the braking at all but a mechanically actuated stop inside the transmission. Good call.

Troy


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## altimateone (May 30, 2003)

Coco said:


> First off, my driveway is in a decline. When I move the shifter out of park, it doesn't ease right out as if I was on a level surface. When it finally comes out of park, it makes a loud noise. Not sure what it is. The only reason I question it is because when I do the same with my wife's car (Mazda Protege), it slides right out of park without any noise. My car is obviously an auto. Anyone have a clue?



Its normal for some auto trans. When the cars at a incline or decline there is pressure against the clutch plates in the tranny, so when you shift it out of park the mechanism inside has pressure on it from the weight of the car against the axle through the pinion gears through the driveline into the tranny. If you were to pull your ebrake before you let off the brake after putting it in park, that would hold the car from rolling back against the gears and putting pressure against the clutch plates in the transmission. Does this make any sense to you.


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## blitzboi (Apr 13, 2004)

KA24Tech said:


> You are correct it is a parking pawl. I forgot the "l" and should have left out the brake because it is not associated with the braking at all but a mechanically actuated stop inside the transmission. Good call.


No problemmo... I assumed you knew what you were talking about and had just made a typo. I just didn't want the less technical readers to get confused about these things.... :fluffy:


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