[Dazzler]

How positive is the selection of Park in the auto and if it is not selected properly what is next to it reverse or neutral?

and.. How high is the handbrake against the seat squab when fully engaged (level or higher?)

I am asking because of this thread on Whirlpool..

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2097605&p=-1&#bottom

see discussion here...

https://i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=22232.new#new

[AlanHo]

My GD is a manual - but the handbrake should surely be the same as with an auto.

With the handbrake fully on, the top surface of my handbrake lever is 15mm higher than the edge of the seat squab - and my seat is set to the highest position to suit my long legs.  The angle of this photo makes it look higher than it is.




I'm not sure how relevant this measure is - presumably the position of the handbrake lever is dependent on how the brake is adjusted. I didn't ask for it to be done - but at the first service the handbrake was adjusted and now is "tighter" than before. The lever previously came a couple of centimetres higher.

A little experiment with my car reveals that in first gear the engine is capable of moving the car with the handbrake applied. But not in reverse gear.

[Surferdude]

Yeah Alan. Mine, although not a GD, was adjusted during the recent service and I felt the difference. But even if it's not adjusted fully, pulling it up to the last notch still holds the car. I've come back to it at the top of the hill whete I check the surf in the early mornings and found I've left it out of gear a couple of times. Steep hill but the car's still been there.
I double check now because I have no idea why on three occasions i've broken the habit of a lifetime and not left the car in gear.

Our GD Pemium has an electric park brake which automatically releases when in drive with the foot on the brake pedal, so can't comment on handbrake.  However, from my understanding of an auto in park, it would not be possible for a car to move.  Auto park is, as I understand it, a mechanical lock of the transmission - it would restrict movement of the vehicle on a slope better than a manual in any gear.

[Dazzler]

Thanks guys I will copy and post your photo to Whirlpool if that is ok Alan (but via my Photobucket to protect your privacy)

Bob, is the Park position in the Auto nice and positive? Does it seem to lock in? Could you think you selected it but not actually be there (say be in Neutral instead?)

Thanks guys I will copy and post your photo to Whirlpool if that is ok Alan (but via my Photobucket to protect your privacy)

Bob, is the Park position in the Auto nice and positive? Does it seem to lock in? Could you think you selected it but not actually be there (say be in Neutral instead?)

You can move from D to N freely and even this movement is associated with a positive notch.  To move from N to R, you need to depress the button on the front of the stick, then hold it in (or press it again) to move forward to P.  The notching in the stick movement from D to N to R to P is positive and there is no doubt that you have engaged P.  Movement out of P is not possible without depressing the button on the front of the stick, plus you need to have your foot on the brake pedal.  There is also a release button that needs to be used in conjunction with the stick release button and the brake pedal to move out of P when the engine is not running.

In my opinion, for a non-gated auto shift, it is well designed with safety in mind and very effective.  Much better than a gated shift in my opinion and certainly a more attractive design.

[Dazzler]

Brilliant thanks Bob (up to your usual high standard) I will quote you as a valued long term i30 owner on Whirlpool if that is ok 

Unless you want to post directly in Whirlpool.

[panda]

You've got me curious. I'll have to measure my handbrake height. I have accidentally left the handbrake off with the car in park and it didn't go anywhere....likewise I once forgot to take the handbrake off and took off (just to make me sound like a really bad driver, I did leave the car in drive with the handbrake off just once in the carpark at the local shopping centre after one of my daughters whacked the door on the metal pole next to the car even though I was parked almost a metre away from the thing  . I was so distracted I didn't realize. The car didn't go anywhere thank goodness. I would have had fun explaining that one to the husband!)

ETA: Now that I think about it, it's entirely possible that it wasn't quite IN park. It's relatively easy in our car to not quite be in park properly and still be in reverse even though it looks as though you've changed gears.

Brilliant thanks Bob (up to your usual high standard) I will quote you as a valued long term i30 owner on Whirlpool if that is ok 

Unless you want to post directly in Whirlpool.

Go ahead Dazz,  while I'm a whirlpool member, I don't frequent it much.

[Dazzler]

Cheers Bob ... and that is interesting Panda :-/

[Dazzler]

Thanks for your help I have reported back to Whirlpool 

[2i30s]

but the gear your in on both model automatic i30s is illuminated in the gauge cluster,you don't even need to look at the position of the gear leaver to see what gear your in.   :

[AlanHo]

For what it's worth my guess is that she stopped on the downward slope and put the handbrake on with her foot on the brake. She then forgot to put it in neutral or park and got out of the car. The A/C then cut in whilst she was away from the car which caused the engine to move off idle and the increased engine power overcame the resistance of the handbrake and dragged the car into the bushes.

[beerman]

Just as an aside, when I got the wife's FD, the handbrake noticeably slacker than mine (Ie it needed to go a long way up to engage the park brake, and even then I didn't fully trust it). At the 1000k service I got them to adjust the handbrake and it is now noticeably tighter than mine. Both still work well, but the position of the leaver is totally different.

Hence, I do not think the photograph of the position of the handbrake leaver can be used as a guide across the model, but against the individual car only. The 'tightness' of the handbrake will differ depending on the mood of the person who adjusted it.

I do Like Alan's theory. I have driven automatics for 22 years, and baring a major failure in the gearbox which would be obvious and able to be repeated, there is no way that car was in park. The young lady needs to adopt proper practice for selecting park. foot brake on, handbrake on change to N test the handbrake by removing the foot brake, foot brake on shift to park. Not only does it stop that ugly lurch against the locking pin in the gearbox, It identifies when the handbrake is not properly applied (even slightly). One should also stop the ignition before leaving the vehicle (and I don't know about the GD but in the FD the key will not be able to be removed if the car is not in park).

This poor young lady has done something stupid, and thank God got away without hurting or killing someone.

[Surferdude]

Just as an aside, when I got the wife's FD, the handbrake noticeably slacker than mine (Ie it needed to go a long way up to engage the park brake, and even then I didn't fully trust it). At the 1000k service I got them to adjust the handbrake and it is now noticeably tighter than mine. Both still work well, but the position of the leaver is totally different.

Hence, I do not think the photograph of the position of the handbrake leaver can be used as a guide across the model, but against the individual car only. The 'tightness' of the handbrake will differ depending on the mood of the person who adjusted it.

I do Like Alan's theory. I have driven automatics for 22 years, and baring a major failure in the gearbox which would be obvious and able to be repeated, there is no way that car was in park. The young lady needs to adopt proper practice for selecting park. foot brake on, handbrake on change to N test the handbrake by removing the foot brake, foot brake on shift to park. Not only does it stop that ugly lurch against the locking pin in the gearbox, It identifies when the handbrake is not properly applied (even slightly). One should also stop the ignition before leaving the vehicle (and I don't know about the GD but in the FD the key will not be able to be removed if the car is not in park).

This poor young lady has done something stupid, and thank God got away without hurting or killing someone.

I agree with you beerman. But she's then compounded a naturally human error with a deliberate attempt to defaud. In my experience with situations like this she will by now, pretty much believe her own story as it gains a foothold in her mind.