Auto/and/or Hybrid Question.

[Mooly]

Never having owned or driven anything other than a manual I wondered whether it is possible to park either an auto or a hybrid such that its possible to roll it forward or backward in the way that a manual can be parked without engaging the handbrake.

Reason for asking is that I often roll my Auris manual into and out of the garage without needing to get in.

Would that be possible in either an auto or a hybrid ?

[Whitewagon]

It's certainly possible with a normal automatic and with the Toyota CVT by selecting neutral. I can see no reason why it wouldn't be possible on the hybrid provided they have a neutral position.

[alan333]

It would need to be in Neutral as Whitewagon says, but I'm pretty sure my Avensis automatic doesn't let me remove the key unless it's in Park. There's a shift lock button tho, maybe if I put it in Park then removed the key, then used the shift lock button it might let me shift it to Neutral. I'll try to remember and check for you later.

[Mooly]

Thanks guys.I know its a strange question, but the way vehicle technology is moving its not out of the question that my next car just might be something other than a manual.

And thanks Alan, appreciate it.

[TomdeGuerre]

My last Auris was the Multi Mode transmission and you had to switch on the ignition and press the footbrake to get it out of gear and into neutral. In winter time it used to stick and refuse to come out of gear, don't know whether it was a fault with the inhibitor switch or what but it was a nuisance. I preferred to just push it if I only wanted to move it along the drive because if I started it and moved it a short way then stopped it used to choke up on fuel and I've seen me having several goes at re-starting it if I wanted to go out a little later. On occasion I had to leave it for two or three hours until it cleared itself.

The CVT box is a lot more sensible, you have a plastic over-ride button on the console which lets you shift the selector into neutral and you don't have to touch the brake pedal.

[Whitewagon]

Alan is correct to remove the key it has to be in park, but the shift lock button does allow you to move it to neutral without the key. This is how it works on the CVT Avensis though you will need to check it out on the Hybrid as it may be different.

[Mooly]

Thanks again folks. So it all seems do-able on the vehicles you have. That's promising. Over fuelling when just starting up for a few seconds is something I've read about over the years although fortunately I've not encountered that myself.

[alan333]

Just checked my auto and can confirm you can use the shift lock button to put it into Neutral without the key in the ignition.

[Mooly]

Many thanks for trying that Alan. You folks have answered a question that's been bugging me for a while.

[ToyotaAuris]

I know on the CT200h (uses same hybrid engine) I can remove the key from any position, as soon as the cars stationary I press 'P' and it just holds there.

[alan333]

We also have an Auris with the MMT auto transmission TomdeGuerre refers to above, and can confirm that it can be left in neutral when you switch the engine off. Ours is the keyless entry model the, maybe the one with an ignition key is different.

[TomdeGuerre]

Do me a favour Alan, check your Auris MMT handbook and see if it tells you to put the car in gear when you park it, I know mines did. Matter of fact when I reported the car to the dealers for the sticking in gear problem their Toyota Trained Technician left a message for me with reception saying the MMT was not supposed to be parked in gear! I asked to see him and queried where he got that information from. He replied it was "In the back of his mind somewhere from a talk he had from Toyota". When I showed him what the handbook said - it even says to be sure that 1 or R is showing in the selector window when you park - he was a trifle nonplussed. What chance do you have of getting your car sorted properly when you're dealing with that calibre of techie?

[alan333]

Yes I speed-read the owners manual when we got the car and noticed it said you can leave in gear (or maybe it was recommended, I can't remember), but I was confirming the OP's query of whether auto's can be left in neutral. We park that car in neutral all the time BTW.

Apologies if I came across as disagreeing with you Tom, I didn't mean it as such.

[TomdeGuerre]

No worries Alan, I didn't read your post as a criticism, I was just curious to know if the keyless entry models had the same instructions so thanks for the info.

I used to park mine in gear and leave the handbrake off specially in winter time to stop it freezing on. Couldn't leave it in neutral and with no handbrake with the scallies round here, I'd have found my car halfway down the street.

[Mooly]

For some reason I didn't get a single thread notifier for all the last batch of posts. All interesting reading though.

[alan333]

Coming to think of it Tom, we parked the MMT in gear with the handbrake off when we went on holiday for a fortnight last winter. I don't remember it being problematic on our return tho.

[eyemdee]

Bear in mind with the hybrid that you do not need to start the engine to get the car out of the garage or even from your drive into the road. I never bother pushing mine now. Just use the electric motor for short manoeuvres - the car will usually default to this mode anyway but you can use the EV button if you prefer.

[Mooly]

Thanks Ian, that's useful to know.