Knock\Noise when shifting into park on incline

[uvabigm]

"Clunk" when shifting into park on incline

We just purchased a 2006 4Runner Limited v8 and have noticed, when putting it into park on an incline we hear a "clunk" and feel it in the gear shift. When putting in park on level ground it is smooth with no "clunk".

Our selling dealer says this is normal due to the size of the 4Runner. Is this true? It occurs on even slight inclines.

thanks,

 

[TechWrench]

What you are probably experiencing is the parking pawl engaging the parking gear on the output shaft of the transmission, when the vehicle rolls slightly because of the incline. This is normal, from my experience with most transmissions. The parking gear has a series of teeth and when the gearshift is put into park, a pawl is acutated which locks between two of these teeth. If the pawl, when engaged, hits on top of one of the teeth, because of its position, it will allow the vehicle to roll slightly either forward or backward until the pawl hits a gap between two teeth and will then drop into the gap and lock the parking gear from any further movement. If you park on a level surface, and there is no vehicle movement, you would not experience this unless you were to push the vehicle forward or backward until the pawl drops into the gap. If the pawl and teeth on the parking gear line up perfectly when the gearshift is first put into park, then you probably wouldn't notice this clunk.

 

[ladywolf]

What you are probably experiencing is the parking pawl engaging the parking gear on the output shaft of the transmission, when the vehicle rolls slightly because of the incline. This is normal, from my experience with most transmissions. The parking gear has a series of teeth and when the gearshift is put into park, a pawl is acutated which locks between two of these teeth. If the pawl, when engaged, hits on top of one of the teeth, because of its position, it will allow the vehicle to roll slightly either forward or backward until the pawl hits a gap between two teeth and will then drop into the gap and lock the parking gear from any further movement. If you park on a level surface, and there is no vehicle movement, you would not experience this unless you were to push the vehicle forward or backward until the pawl drops into the gap. If the pawl and teeth on the parking gear line up perfectly when the gearshift is first put into park, then you probably wouldn't notice this clunk.

that sounds about right. our diesel is VERY loud when it does it. i think even my 2010 does it a little bit.

 

[004Gunner]

3rd gens do it too. It's the main reason why I always use my e brake, which is better for the trans anyway and safer.

 

[Uneek]

You can try and minimize it when you park:

Set the e-brake.
Shift into neutral, take your foot off the brakes, so the weight of the 4Runner is on the e-brake. This way any movement of the 4Runner would've taken place on the e-brake, rather than the parking pawl.
Shift into park.