specialgreen said:
Newbie-ish question! What does the "Park" setting on the shifter actually do?
I was putting snow tires on, and noticed that I could turn the front hub by hand (though not easily). I did not remember putting transmission in Neutral, so that was a surprise.
What you report seems abnormal for me. Did you have both front wheels lifted off the ground?
See extract from Maintenance manual.
Electric shift P (Park) position mechanism
Check that the park button on the selector lever operates properly and smoothly. On
a fairly steep hill check that the vehicle is held securely with the park switch in the P
(Park) position without applying any brakes.
From TRANSAXLE & TRANSMISSION
PARKING MECHANISM
• The parking mechanism consists of the manual shaft, manual plate, detent spring, parking rod, parking pawl
and parking gear, and it is locked/unlocked by the operation of the parking actuator.
• If the parking actuator is operated by the signal from the electric shift control module, the manual shaft and
manual plate that is mechanically connected to the parking actuator rotates sliding the parking rod. The sliding
parking rod pushes up the parking pawl, which engages with the parking gear locking the parking mechanism.