I have noticed when I go from park to reverse/drive I get a rather large clunk sound

this only happens if the car is held in park and not the handbrake first on my driveway which is on a slope

I know it's down to the pressure on the gearbox when in park but I don't think I have ever heard other auto clunk when selecting gear

anybody else hear a loud clunk  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Hi!
I also get that noise when I have parked the vehicle on a slope (no matter how slight) and used Park as the vehicle brake. Putting the handbrake on afterwards doesn't alleviate the issue. My [revious Merc had the same noise as does my sons ML320. putting the handbrake on first before putting the box in Park prevents the problem. I am no techy on auto gearboxes but I wouldn't mind betting that is is the free play or whatever being taken out of the gearshafts and cogs which causes it. Anyway as it seems to be general I have never worried about.
Perhaps being a white car the problem is much worse that if i was silver. I bet that black will be even worse it being a chav colour and all! Ralph
Zurmatt Silver, Diesel, Automatic, side steps, mud flaps, mats, boot liner, TomTom Start 60 installed, rubbing strips, removable Brink tow bar, after market tinted glass, front styling bar, Rear spoiler, Motorlicious tail pipe trim. Wood Company centre armrest

That last sentance is going to draw someone's attension

I wonder who might be first! Ralph
Zurmatt Silver, Diesel, Automatic, side steps, mud flaps, mats, boot liner, TomTom Start 60 installed, rubbing strips, removable Brink tow bar, after market tinted glass, front styling bar, Rear spoiler, Motorlicious tail pipe trim. Wood Company centre armrest

Mine doesn't do it...because it's Stornoway!!!

It does actually, All automatics I've driven have NPinks, including all the BMW's with the 'torque converter' auto's I drove whilst working there. Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

npinks wrote:

I have noticed when I go from park to reverse/drive I get a rather large clunk sound

this only happens if the car is held in park and not the handbrake first on my driveway which is on a slope

I know it's down to the pressure on the gearbox when in park but I don't think I have ever heard other auto clunk when selecting gear

anybody else hear a loud clunk

Yeah, heard it all the way up here  ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

Cool thought I might have had a problem

as Ralph says apply handbrake first no clunk as the car not been held by the gearbox Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Come on CG I am provoking you into a response! Ralph
Zurmatt Silver, Diesel, Automatic, side steps, mud flaps, mats, boot liner, TomTom Start 60 installed, rubbing strips, removable Brink tow bar, after market tinted glass, front styling bar, Rear spoiler, Motorlicious tail pipe trim. Wood Company centre armrest

 At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Dave wrote:

Yeah, heard it all the way up here

No I think that was Ralph's towbar banging as he attempted to reverse his van round a slight bend (unsuccessfully) At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

the instructor on my off road day told me that if you come out of drive or reverse into neutral and apply the hand brake and take your foot of the foootbake it then moves forward on the handbrake and then select park it works every time and you dont get that clunk when selecting drive its a while to remember drive,neutral,brake park but it saves the gearbox hope this helps it did for me 07my Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Baltic Blue,Privacy Glass,Ebony black leather,Land rover detachable towbar,S/S Side bars,Climair wind deflectors,Bramble Rash,

Leaving the fun(ny) stuff aside for a moment, here is below a document from Aisin Warner, the producer of our auto gearboxes.

https://www.freel2.com/gallery/albums/user...k_lock.pdf

The sound (and shudder you feel) is because of the tension that it is created (on a slope) and now released between park lock wheel and locking pawl. When you move from park to other positions, that tension is suddenly released when the locking pawl is slipping out of the park lock wheel's teeths.

As said on the document, when on a steep incline, the parking brake should be used before engaging the selector lever position “P” to protect the selector lever cable and to ease the operation of the selector lever.
Tension between the locking pawl and the park lock wheel is thus prevented.

So, by the way, don't worry (be happy ). It is normal what you feel and hear.

Alex  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Crikey, I wish i could express myself that well. Anyway Nick I think the question has been answered. Ralph
Zurmatt Silver, Diesel, Automatic, side steps, mud flaps, mats, boot liner, TomTom Start 60 installed, rubbing strips, removable Brink tow bar, after market tinted glass, front styling bar, Rear spoiler, Motorlicious tail pipe trim. Wood Company centre armrest

Hi CG,
I thought you were becoming polite and reasonable. Thank God nothing changes! Ralph
Zurmatt Silver, Diesel, Automatic, side steps, mud flaps, mats, boot liner, TomTom Start 60 installed, rubbing strips, removable Brink tow bar, after market tinted glass, front styling bar, Rear spoiler, Motorlicious tail pipe trim. Wood Company centre armrest