CFIMarco

Hello, I was wondering if I'm the only one or someone else feels an heavy clunk from the PDK when shifting from P to D or P to R when starting from a hill?
I don't think it should do that, I tried to use the Ebrake before shifting but no changes...

Spokayman

Hi,
All automatic transmissions including the PDK have a "parking pawl" system of some kind to keep the car from moving when in "park".
If you are on any real incline at all and you don't put the parking brake on BEFORE you move the gear selector to park, the car will roll a slight bit and the transmission gears will rest against the parking pawl. Moving the gear selector away from park will release the pawl and many cars will thunk, clunk, or in some way exhibit a "mechanical release" kind of noise as the transmission gears are suddenly released from the parking pawl. Though I don't know how the PDK's parking pawl system works exactly, I imagine it to be similar. I always set my parking brake first (when parking on an incline) so I've never experienced this noise on my Boxster.
So, when you use the parking brake, do you set the brake BEFORE you put the car in park? It's too late to set the brake after you put the selector in park, except with some cars you might get away with it by setting the parking brake before you ultimately take your foot off the car brake.

CFIMarco

Thanks for the helpful tip!
I'll try to engage the ebrake before setting P and I'll see if there is any difference.
it's my first car without a stick shift...

JCtx

You should always engage the parking brake first, and release the brakes to make sure parking brake is holding car. Then, and only then, put transmission in either P or in gear.

badabing

Procedure.

Come to complete stop.

With foot still on brake pedal, shift to neutral.

With foot still on brake pedal, engage parking brake.

Slowly release brake pedal and ensure parking brake is holding vehicle.

If yes, shift to park.

I cringe when people don't use the parking brake and yank the car out of park. Awful sound.

GregWormald

Thanks for the reminder guys.
The PDK will be my first automatic in 30 years.
The Boxster is now only about a week away.

Greg

extanker

it will be fine.....just drive it and stop over thinking how to park a car

terbiumactivated

I agree with ex, although I can appreciate badabing's meticulous procedures I am also thinking more than 90% of drivers skip every one of them.

Yogi911

PDK is a GREAT "1st automatic" to go back to!

Not sure if it is normal but my car always has a rough 1st shift when i drive off in the morning when the car is cold so be aware of that too. After that buttery smooth. Oh yea and even in park on basically level ground the car will roll a little bit in park (theres play in the system when in park). It is normal but a little unnerving at first.

JCtx

I try to always park on level ground, and never use the parking brake when doing so. Therefore, I rarely use it (less wear and tear, and less possibility of an issue). But when I need to, I do it right. That's what I really liked about PDK: its' one of the rare DCTs that have a parking pawl. In addition, car doesn't automatically apply the electric parking brake (HATE that), like all others (BMW, Ferrari, etc) that use a Getrag unit, since they have to (no other way to keep the car from moving). Ours is a ZF unit, which I consider the best.

terbiumactivated

elp, every automatic can do that because of the pawl Spokayman referenced, all depends on position at stop.

JCtx

Nope. Regular automatics yes. But the great majority of DCTs DO NOT have a pawl. The only ones that I know of are Porsches (ZF), and the Nissan GTR (Borg Warner). The others rely on automatically applying the parking brake to hold the car after shutting the engine off.

terbiumactivated

I was referring to regular transmissions which are still ubiquitous in comparison to DCT and are subject to the same semi roll at times before said pawl engages.

CFIMarco

Now I use the procedure above and it works nice and smooth!
Thanks for the advice ;-)

jan86

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...U1T3NhWUMtMG5B