Dumb panic move....any damage done?

So I pulled up to my place today to park on the street and there were trash cans that needed to be moved so I could park in my spot. I was on the phone talking and forgot I had put the car in reverse (to back into the spot). Anyway, I hung up and got out of the truck and realized it was moving backwards. There was a car directly behind the trash cans so I panicked because I didnt want my truck to go into the car as well.
Instead of quickly hopping into my truck and putting my foot on the brake I threw it in "P" and it made a loud rapid clicking noise for about 2-3secs as the truck slowed and then I put the emergency brake on as well at the end. The truck wasn't going any faster than rolling speed (1-2mph maybe)

Do you think I screwed anything up? Is there something I should check? I'm surprised it actually moved into "P" at all now that I think about it, but maybe I was going slow enough I could.

 

How does it shift now? Any noises, clunks?

 

It seems fine...I got back in and shifted from P to D to R to P etc...seemed ok

 

*cringe*

Hope all is well with your truck OP...

 

Shwaa, don't worry. The sound you heard was the parking pawl inside the transmission ratcheting over the gear until it finally slows enough to drop into the slot in the gear which engages PARK. You didn't hurt anything and you were extremely lucky to stop in time before hitting the other vehicle.

 

Good to hear, thank you! I am googling this and keep seeing the "parking prawl" thing you are mentioning but some are saying its a "death sentence" for your transmission if you hear the clicking sound. Hopefully that's exaggerating, you just dont want to make a habit of this Im sure.

 

ive done this on accident before at 40mph in a ford f250 work truck. i wasnt used to the column shifter (first time using one) and i went to go from "3" to "d" (or whatever order they're in) and it moved much faster than i expected and went into "p". it made the worst imaginable noise for like 8 seconds before it stopped. it shifted through all the gears just fine and didnt seem to cause any damage besides the sh** in my pants. i wouldnt worry too much

 

a moment of silence for Shwaa's transmission...

 

These transmissions are incredibly resilient. I wouldn't worry much if all is well right now. Just don't make a habit out of it and treat your mechanicals in the vehicle respectfully.

 

Oddly enough -- I did the exact same thing about 3 days ago. First time I have ever done this in a vehicle. Almost the exact same situation. I was in reverse... barely rolling backwards ... and accidentally threw it in park. Same parking prowl noise. No shifting issues at all. Everything seems normal. It's something I'll definitely never do again.

 

It'll be fine...I had this happen to me in other vehicles before, most recently my Honda Civic with 280,000 miles....no issues. These trannys can handle a lot more abuse these days than years ago...(oops did I say tranny? The PC police will be after me)!

 

Just keep an eye and ear on it if its not the parking prawl.Hope all is good and your Tacoma is under warranty.Just don't worry to much or over analyze about.If you'd have to take it in to the dealership i suggest you tell them something else other than what you did.

 

Even if you tell them a story, the evidence would be clear that the transmission was shifted into park while in motion, thereby rendering the story useless and making it obvious you're trying to BS a BSer.

My .02

 

Update: took it out for a drive, shifting quite a bit to check. Seemed perfectly normal, not hesitation or noises. Just like it was before. Hopefully it stays that way

 

Not true

 

You would know better than I. But you're saying that if OP shifted into park in such a situation as to require a transmission repair, that there would be zero sign among said damage that it was caused by shifting into park at speed?

Just clarifying so I actually know. Not questioning you.

 

I did something like that at higher speed a loonnnggggg time ago in a 68 Ford wagon. At like 25mph.

Scared the begeebuz out of me, but no harm done.

The 68 wagon is no longer on the road, but that's not the cause.