Car drifts forward or backward while in PARK

So, I searched for this and did not find it exactly. Found similar threads, but not this.

Quite simply: What does it mean is worn or broke when the car drifts forward or backward when pushed by hands or gravity (maybe 1 to 3 inches in distance) while it is in park? This is something that got progressively worse over time and the car used to not move hardly at all when in PARK when it was young.

IE: Car will drift after it is put in PARK and usually you are on an incline, but if you are on flat surface you can push the car back and forth with your hands.

Google "parking pawl" chances are this need to be replaced (assuming you are talking about an AT)

Google "parking pawl" chances are this need to be replaced (assuming you are talking about an AT)

Yes, it is an AT.

I have the electronic (PDF) manual for my car and there is no "pawl" listed as related to the tranny. Could it be another word?

The parking pawl is the only thing that holds the car still in Park. It "grabs" a gear tooth, so its possible that someone had a habit of putting the car in park before it was fully stopped and it wore the gear or the pawl down. But 1-3" is not that much, most every car does that much.

The parking pawn is the only thing that holds the car still in Park. It "grabs" a gear tooth, so its possible that someone had a habit of putting the car in park before it was full stopped and it wore the gear or the pawl down. But 1-3" is not that much, most every car does that much.

Thanks !