not sure what you're describing. Is this when you are turning your car off after a driive - place in park, activate the parking brake, release the foot brake?

 

I'm sorry for confusion. After a drive, I'm ready to park.
I apply foot brake pedal, move gear shift to park then release foot brake pedal. After I release foot brake that's when it jerks forward a tiny bit and then back.

 

What do you mean by "foot brake pedal"? If this is the parking brake, why would you release it after putting the car in park? There is always a little play in the transmission when putting it in park. A little rolling forward or backward is normal. I noticed that even when I apply the parking before taking my foot off the brake, it still moves a little.

 

So the engine's still running, and you don't activate the parking brake? It's normal to rock a bit when shifting to park as the drive train slack is taken up against the parking pin in te transmission. use of the parking brake before coming off the foot brake helps. If your car is actually surging forward as if under power it doesn't sound normal. The I4 doesn't do this - anyone with the 6 care to chip in?

 

I own a V6 and have not noticed anything like whats described. If I'm on a hill and release the brake it will roll about an inch before hitting park lock (like every other car I've owned)...thats about it.

So your saying the car moves both forward, then backward after releasing foot brake on a flat grade??

 

i'm pretty sure what he's talking about is completely normal. he's not talking about the parking brake, he's talking about shifting to park with foot on brake pedal and then noticing that the vehicle rocks back and forth once you release the brake pedal. a completely normal situation when the parking pawl is activated by putting the tranny in park.

 

Try coming to a complete stop before you place it into park.

I noticed before that "when in a hurry", it does the same thing....so I stopped being in a hurry.

 

Try coming to a complete stop before you place it into park.

If that really is the cause, then the Venza will be giving more then the little jerk...more like a huge yank for tranny repair bill sometime about when warranty expires.

 

It shouldn't "jerk". At least by my definition of "jerk". On a slight incline it might "roll" slightly one way or the other until the transmission lock engages as a previous poster said but that's definitely not a "jerk".
Have it checked.

 

So, kind of like the same "jerk" as when you put the car into neutral then set the parking brake? that's the only way I can think of on how to mimic what you are talking about.

Either way, if you think you might have a problem, take it in. It's better to find out now than later on when your warranty expires.