DCT, Park or Neutral

H

HillWalker

Member
 Stoke on Trent
As I leave the 35is off the road for the winter, its parked up in my garage for a few months at a time , I've always left it in park which as always been a bit of a nuisance because without starting it I can't move it in the garage, does anyone know is it alright to leave it in neutral so I can push it in the garage and be able to move it up and down without starting it. Personally I can't see any problem with doing that, but never having had a car with a DCT box before I just wanted to seek confirmation it would be ok.
 
I don't think there's an issue with it mate of you can remove the key.

Some cars won't let you.
 
I have a feeling it won't let you leave it in N. Not sure if you've ever opened the door whilst in N, R or D to check behind the car and the smallest movement and it chucks itself into P.

If it lets you switch the engine off in N, I would be surprised. I wouldn't be surprised if it did allow you to select N, turn the ignition off and then it jumps into P again.

Edit -

Taken from page 50 of the handbook, doesn't say if this applies to comfort too but I can't see the car allowing switching off in N


Automatic transmission
You can only take out the remote control if the selector lever is in position P: interlock.

Further edit - comfort access says this but doesn't say you can remove the key from the ignition........which is what you want - page 36

Switching off the engine in cars with automatic transmission
The engine can only be switched off with the selector lever in position P, refer to page 52.
To switch the engine off with the selector lever in position N, insert the remote control in the ig‐ nition lock.
Before driving a vehicle with automatic transmission into a car wash
1. Insert the remote control into the ignition switch.
2. Depress the brake pedal.
3. Move the selector lever to position N. 4. Switch the engine off.
The vehicle can roll.
 
You can leave it in N ! Dash will light up with warning signs but you can do it. I selected N last week when tidying up my calipers & discs before fitting my summers back on. Don't know how that would go with leaving the car long term. :thumbsup:
 
KERMIT1970 said:
You can leave it in N ! Dash will light up with warning signs but you can do it. I selected N last week when tidying up my calipers & discs before fitting my summers back on. Don't know how that would go with leaving the car long term. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Did you do this with the key in the ignition as the handbook states?
 
I'd have no problem leaving the key in the ignition if that solved my issue with been able to move the car, the garage is on the side of the house and very well secured and alarmed, but some time ago I was told by the stealers that if the car wasn't locked for a decent period it would flatten the battery due to all the systems not been shut down properly.
 
Leave it locked and in 'P'- remove the key and if you need to move it just put the key in and move it to 'N'
I would definitely not leave a key in the car - If it did get stolen then the insurance company would definitely want to see both keys!

The garage is secured and alarmed - but if they want the car they'll have it - They got into Hatton Gardens safe deposit place didnt they?

My car is left in this condition and has a maintenance battery charger connected to the under bonnet posts - it was left untouched for five months and fired first spin last Friday.
I think you will find all systems go to sleep - but with a maintenance charge going in it really doesn't matter!
 
Angie4m said:
KERMIT1970 said:
You can leave it in N ! Dash will light up with warning signs but you can do it. I selected N last week when tidying up my calipers & discs before fitting my summers back on. Don't know how that would go with leaving the car long term. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Did you do this with the key in the ignition as the handbook states?
Click to expand...

Yes angie kept the key in as it was only 10mins to spin the discs to clean them up. :thumbsup:
 
KERMIT1970 said:
Angie4m said:
KERMIT1970 said:
You can leave it in N ! Dash will light up with warning signs but you can do it. I selected N last week when tidying up my calipers & discs before fitting my summers back on. Don't know how that would go with leaving the car long term. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Did you do this with the key in the ignition as the handbook states?
Click to expand...

Yes angie kept the key in as it was only 10mins to spin the discs to clean them up. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

So you can't leave your car in N without a key in the ignition. So if you are looking to store or leave the car unattended for any long period of time it can't be done unless you fancy explaining to your insurance company how the key was left in the car.
 
HillWalker said:
I'd have no problem leaving the key in the ignition if that solved my issue with been able to move the car, the garage is on the side of the house and very well secured and alarmed, but some time ago I was told by the stealers that if the car wasn't locked for a decent period it would flatten the battery due to all the systems not been shut down properly.
Click to expand...

You might have an issue with that because I don't think the car fully switches off. So you can stop the engine but if the ignition is not fully off you will burn out the transponder in the key within a couple of hours.

And if that's the case you will need a new key.
 
If you take the key out, wait and listen,you'll hear some clicks and whooshes as it all shuts down !
 
ronk said:
If you take the key out, wait and listen,you'll hear some clicks and whooshes as it all shuts down !
Click to expand...

If HillWalker wants to leave the car in N he won't be able to remove the key. The key can only be removed when the car is in P and the ignition is fully off. Whilst it's in N I don't believe the ignition is fully off and so the transponder within the key will keep working and burn out. The car won't actually go to sleep/shut down.

It's the reason why you shouldn't leave the key in the ignition for hours on end whilst washing the car and using the radio for example. I've known a few guys to burn out the key transponder that way.

Ideally it would need to be tested by leaving the key in the car whilst in N and using the spare to lock the car. Usually locking the car should help shut things down. Still won't help that the car will not be covered by the insurance whilst it's stored with the keys in it.
 
Ronk unfortunately on the DCT transmission you can't move it out of P and put it in N without starting the engine, just the same as when reversing, if you open the door to look out it jumps itself straight into P. I think its something that was introduced with the facelift model.
 
HillWalker said:
Ronk unfortunately on the DCT transmission you can't move it out of P and put it in N without starting the engine, just the same as when reversing, if you open the door to look out it jumps itself straight into P. I think its something that was introduced with the facelift model.
Click to expand...

I stand corrected :oops:

That throws a spanner in the works doesnt it?

I wouldn't want to start it to move either - have you considered some of those dollies that they use in showrooms - from memory machine mart sell them.
 
Thanks for that idea ronk, but as the far side of the car is flat against the wall I wouldn't be able to jack it up to get them under. Of course the real problem is too many motorbikes in the garage, :D and another one joining the fleet in a couple of weeks, that's why I need to be able to move the car around to access the bikes.
 
Unfortunately not, because the drives on a slight slope there's a drainage channel across the front of the garage door which the small wheels on the dollies would get stuck in. Thanks for the idea about the dollies though ronk, its something I might look into in the future.
 
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