A small movement after you shift into park, often an inch or two, is normal: the parking pawl is a metal pin that drops into a notched gear, and the car rolls until the pin finds a notch. More than that, rolling continuously, or a ratcheting sound, means the pawl is not engaging: a misadjusted or stretched shift cable that stops short of park, a worn or broken parking pawl, or a broken axle or driveshaft between the transmission and wheels.
Normal vs not normal
| What happens | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rolls an inch or two, then stops with a clunk | Normal pawl engagement |
| Rolls back and forth a little on a slope | Normal gear lash; use the parking brake |
| Keeps rolling, with ratcheting or clicking | Pawl not engaging: cable adjustment or a worn pawl |
| Rolls freely with no noise | Not in park at the transmission, or a broken axle or driveshaft |
Why a car rolls in park
- Shift cable adjustment: the shifter shows P but the transmission lever stops short of park. Common after cable or transmission work.
- Worn or broken parking pawl: often from shifting into park while the car is still moving, or from parking on slopes without the parking brake.
- Driveline failure: a broken CV axle, driveshaft or differential leaves the wheels disconnected from the pawl.
- Mounts: worn engine and transmission mounts let the drivetrain rock, so the car seems to move more; see engine mount symptoms.
Always use the parking brake
The pawl is a small part designed to hold a stopped car, not to stop a moving one. Set the parking brake first, then shift into park, especially on slopes. That keeps load off the pawl and makes it easier to shift out of park later; see shifter stuck in park.
What to do
- Stop parking on slopes without the parking brake and wheel chocks.
- Have the shift cable adjustment checked at the transmission lever.
- If the cable is correct, the pawl or its linkage inside the transmission is worn and needs repair.
Rolling after transmission or cable work
If the car started rolling in park right after a transmission swap, a shift cable replacement or work on the shifter, the cable adjustment is the first thing to check. The selector on the transmission must sit fully in its park detent when the shifter is in P; a cable set one notch off can leave the pawl just short of engaging, and the gear indicator will not show it.
Is it dangerous?
Yes. A car that does not hold in park can roll away. Use the parking brake every time until it is fixed. If the pawl is broken along with other internal damage, compare repair with our transmissions; see also signs of a bad transmission.
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