h hills before you put it in park apply the e/brake then put it in park. when leaving put it in gear then disengage the e/brake. nothing wrong with transmission just extra weight on the parking pawl that's why you get the harsh engagement

Do you park on a hill? Try setting the parking brake before you shift into park.

Bo is partially correct. You are putting, or at some point, put a lot of pressure on the parking pawl when parked at an incline. Changing the fluid will not help in this situation. This is a mechanical problem not a hydraulic problem. The damage is done already. What you should be doing is every time you park,

1. Press the brakes

2. Shift the car to neutral

3. Apply the parking brake

4. Release the brakes

5. Let the car move until the weight of the car is stopped by the parking brake

6. Shift the car into Park

This will eliminate the transmission from carrying the load of the car and putting all of the pressure on the parking pawl.

Try setting the parking brake before you shift into park.

I have a 2000 Mercury Cougar automatic v6

When I get in, and shift from park to reverse it sounds rough then when I go from reverse to neutral it doesn't sound as bad but then when I go from neutral to drive it does it again....but if I go back to park then do the process over again it won't do it its only on the first time or every 2 our of 5 times I do it

When im driving it shifts, and runs perfect so maybe this is the beginning of some tranny problems that I can nip in the butt before it starts ??? What could it be maybe just need a flush or new fluid or something ???

Help me out :D