Hello all,

It's almost been a year (I think) since I had asked a similar question and I haven't seen any post similar to it. Does popping the automatic transmission to N at a red light does good to the engine or harm? I've had mixed review the last time I brought it up indirectly from another thread. One person said it was good for the engine and another said the engaging back and forth of N and D is bad. Not that it's a very big deal but just coming from driving m/t all my life it's a more natural and comfortable reflex to let the right foot rest a bit at the red light. Anyone want to take a stab at the issue? I for one find that driving auto is just as tired if not more tired than m/t. The right leg is constantly working (either on the throttle or holding the brakes).

Thanks...

 

Not sure if it "harms" anything, but why do it. If anything, it's putting more wear on the tranny by putting it in and out of gear.

The thing you should keep in mind is the safety aspect of it. Say you have it in N and you see someone about to rear-end you or something about to occur in front of you. Your reaction time will be severely affected because now you have to put the car back into drive. I mention this because as a motorcycle rider, this is HUGE. On a motorcycle, you are never supposed to put your bike in N at a red light in the event you need to get out of the way quickly.

Just my .02 cents.

 

I have no idea why you would want to do this. Even when I drove manual I kept my right foot on the brake - it was only common sense.

As for tiring your leg - you don't have to put 1000 pounds of pressure on the pedal. A toe touch will do. If your leg gets 'tired' you need to get out more. Go for a run or hit the gym.

 

For a Manual its a must for an auto whats the point. If you are going to be there awhile put it in park.

 

No kidding...I agree. Can't comprehend that your leg is tired from driving an automatic? I'd think it's definitely a bad a idea to do this...a lot more wear & tear on the car by doing this.

 

I am no expert, but I dont think it matters at all. Just change your tranny oil more often.

 

get a manual

 

Thanks for the reply. I guess the consensus is more harm than good. Yeah I know it's against the law or something to pop it to N etc. *touch wood* but the last 14+ years of driving manual, that's how I've been doing it...popping it into N when I sense it was changing to yellow light. I know it's a bad habit.

AWD was my higher priorty when I bought this car, if they had manual, I would of definitely gotten that instead of auto. Oh wellie...thanks though.

 

Hehe...not tired tired but just keep having to tap on it gets quite annoying.

 

Need to learn left foot braking anyway. Helps when you're hustling...

Now your clutch foot will have something to do!

 

is it bad to pop it into neutral when rolling down a hill for a mille or so...jw

 

You probably looking at a 50-50, 6 of one 1/2 dozen of another situation. THe automatic transmission creates heat only when the car is in gear and the clutch plates are engaged. Putting in in neutral would relieve the tranny of it's heat generating source but the constant engaging/disengaging of the clutch plates would cause extra wear and tear. Leave the car in the garage in park and the transmission will last forever, otherwise its going to wear out one way or another. I prefer to leave it in gear at stoplights ever since I nearly got hit from behind by an idiot with a cell phone growing out her ear and I was able to move up enough to prevent a collision.

 

I'm pretty sure it is illegal to have the car in neutral while coasting down a hill.

For one thing, you lose any engine braking.

Another, if for some reason a car were to stall out, you may not notice it. Though maybe not as much as you could have years ago.

 

Those are good points. I sometimes pop auto cars into nuetral when coming to a stop so I don't have to ride the brake as hard. I used to think it was good for the trannie since it prevents heat buildup but now I don't think it matters. I don't think it's bad to shift back and forth unless you are constantly doing it in traffic. Having it in gear would mean you can quickly move if necessary. Like vegas, there has been a few times I have had to move up to avoid an accident. That's a bad feeling when you can see the idiot's face in the rear view mirror freaking out because they think they are going to hit you.

 

Looks like I'm the lone dissenter on this topic.

I often pop my car in to neutral when approaching or sitting at a red light and I'll also coast down a long hill.