5 Things You Should Never Do In An Automatic Vehicle

A large majority of the vehicles sold and on the road today have automatic transmission. This is mainly because we have grown to love the ease and simplicity of driving automatic vehicles. With an automatic transmission, there is no need for continuous gear changes or the risk of stalling when stopped in traffic or at a stoplight. Also, you don't have to hold the clutch while braking, eliminating various inconveniences associated with manual transmissions. Automatics are simple, you just need to put them in drive, press the gas pedal, and you're away. Modern automatics are also way more fuel-efficient than their predecessors and some even more than manual transmissions. Ease, convenience and efficiency have made automatic transmission a popular choice among a majority of individuals. As a result, some car manufacturers have even opted to eliminate manual transmission variants from their lineup. 

If you drive an automatic vehicle, which is highly likely, it is important to be aware of certain practices that can lead to serious damage to your precious automatic transmission, resulting in expensive repairs amounting to hundreds or even thousands of dollars.  Manual and automatic transmission differ significantly t in design and operation, so what would have been fine for one can lead to a complete breakdown of the other. Skim through to know five practices that should be avoided when driving an automatic transmission, along with the reasons behind them.

The reason some people do this is because they think by engaging into this practice they will save them some fuel. However, this behavior is highly dangerous for several reasons and may even be illegal where you live. Firstly, shifting to neutral deprives you of control over the vehicle and the ability to speed up in an emergency situation. The only thing you can do is stop using your brakes, which can lead to overheating and brake fade. Engine braking, a valuable technique when descending hills, becomes ineffective when in neutral, placing excessive strain on the braking system and causing accelerated brake wear, particularly in larger or loaded vehicles. Doing this is also illegal in many US states and in British Columbia. So if you have this habit of shifting to neutral when going downhill, it is crucial to cease this practice immediately.

In other words, it is important to avoid shifting between the forward and reverse gears while the vehicle is still in moving. Using the transmission to stop the vehicle can cause excessive wear and tear on internal components like the automatic transmission band and clutches. The band and clutches within the automatic transmission are used to engage different gears. They have friction linings similar to brakes, but their purpose is not to stop the vehicle entirely. Instead, they engage or disengage gears by holding onto the planetary gearset housing, regulating movement. If you were to shift between the front and reverse gears while the vehicle is in motion and so is the transmission, the friction lining on the bands and clutches can wear immensely. Doing this repeatedly will result in these components wearing out completely. However, accessing, dismantling, and replacing components in an automatic transmission is a complex and costly process. 

So the simple solution is to use your brakes to stop the vehicle and then shift from drive to reverse or vice versa.

There are basically two claims regarding why you should put the vehicle in neutral as you come to a stop. The first claim is that by putting the vehicle in neutral you will save fuel, while the second claim argues that by doing so you will also reduce stress on the transmission and prevent any unnecessary wear. However in reality, the amount of fuel you will save by putting the vehicle in neutral is so low that it can be considered negligible. If you are completely stuck in traffic, surrounded by vehicles and you know there will be no emergency movement, then you can switch off the vehicle. This way you are guaranteed to get the best fuel economy, particularly if fuel efficiency was the reason for putting the vehicle in neutral. And if you are concerned about excess wear, know that accelerating from a stop generates far more stress and strain on the automatic transmission compared to keeping the vehicle in drive with the engine at idle.

Ultimately, there is no valid reason to put the vehicle in neutral when coming to a stop, and it is best to keep the vehicle in drive to maintain its ability to perform emergency maneuvers when needed.

Most automatic transmissions, especially modern ones, are equipped with a safety mechanism to prevent the occurrence of shifting into park while the vehicle is still in motion.  However, it is advised  not to attempt such actions because in older vehicles there is still a risk of this happening. When park mode is engaged, a locking pin is inserted between the output gear of the transmission that effectively halts the movement of the gear and the entire transmission. If you engage the park mode while the vehicle and transmission are still in motion, you induce a lot of stress and strain on the transmission and drivetrain and there is even a risk of breaking the locking pin. Repairing this damage can be extremely expensive. Therefore, it is important to make sure that the vehicle comes to a complete stop before engaging park mode. 

This means that when you are stopping on a hill, first engage the parking brake or handbrake and then put the vehicle in park to avoid straining the locking pin and transmission. If you put it in park before you engage the parking brake, the complete weight of the vehicle will rest on the locking pin until the parking brake is operated. This will induce unnecessary stress on the locking pin and transmission and may even wear out the internal gears.