Ok so, a manual rolls back easily when you are on an incline, nose headed upwards.
An automatic, if you roll backwards with the transmission in "D", you could damage the transmission.
What is the recommendation for Tesla? It seems to rollback a lot easier than a typical automatic.
Will rolling back hurt the transmission? Should I keep the brake pedal depressed when on an incline to prevent any rollbacks?
TIA~
rolling backward in an ICE auto doesn't hurt the transmission, there is fluid coupling between engine and tranny
There is no transmission in model S, it is permanently in gear, the motor is always connected firmly to the wheels, the motor spins either way freely.
tesla's position on the matter is to use brake pedal when driving to prevent rolling.
Hill holder Brake assist is there to keep an invisible pedal pressed when you let off the real pedal.
Tesla's position on preventing rolling for parking is to use Park selector, push the button.
there is no parking gear as would an auto tranny have, and might strip if you push the car while parked.
tesla only has a second set of brake calipers on rear discs dedicated for that purpose.
putting the S into Drive or Rev releases the parking brake.
if it didn't release (by fault) and you tried pushing the car around you'd be fighting an engaged brake caliper on the disc only.
there is a Tow Mode that also frees the parking brake that allows the car to be pulled around.
don't push the car from the rear, ever. If you must roll a dead car push it by A or B pillar with window down.
Yes the S does seem to roll back easier than an auto tranny ICE because there's no viscous coupling friction at all pulling or holding the car from rest.
Tesla invented Creep Mode to help emulate viscous coupling at low speeds while driving forward.
tesla also has Hill Hold to emulate viscous coupling (but only for a couple seconds) when resuming moving from a rest while on an incline.
However, yes you should keep your foot planted on brake pedal on inclines to prevent rolling. Hill hold is a minor convenience feature that does not replace the need for using brake pedal. On some cars' implementations of hill hold, they will continue to hold the invisible brake pedal until driver presses the go pedal, but not in model S. (It could do that some day, its a software change).