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Automatic owners, do you "N" at red lights or stay in "D"?

  • 21-03-2013 10:52pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,220 ✭✭✭✭


    Just something I've been thinking about lately. In US I never leave D at all but then it's always a hire car so it's not a concern.
    Here I see taxis sometime switch out of D. I haven't asked about it then but thought I'd throw it out there.

    Is there any reason, except improved mpg to switch to N at red lights?

    D or N? 44 votes

    I pretty much always stay in D until green
    0% 0 votes
    I switch to N almost immediately
    81% 36 votes
    Meh, it depends
    18% 8 votes


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 251 ✭✭Merl1n


    Stay in D foot on the brake for short stops or stay in D and hand brake for long stops


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,423 ✭✭✭Avns1s


    Funny co-incidence, I asked a garage man that today on a test drive. He reckoned it didn't matter.

    In the past I would always have stayed in D at lights etc but recently, I noted a friend of mine dropping to neutral each time he stopped.

    I'm not sure it makes a difference to be honest.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭Gmol


    D for me.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,815 ✭✭✭✭Anan1


    I stay in D unless I know that i'll be stopped for more than a minute or so, in which case I switch off the engine.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 900 ✭✭✭650Ginge


    Merl1n wrote: »
    Stay in D foot on the brake for short stops or stay in D and hand brake for long stops

    That's not a good thing to be doing. Handbrake is only on back wheels. Neutral and handbrake or else foot brake.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,974 ✭✭✭Chris_Heilong


    I covered this a long time ago in the learner section and had talked to many trainers and testers, what I learned was you keep it in D and keep your foot on the brake, If you are going to be stopped for more than 2 minutes then handbrake and into N.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 578 ✭✭✭kuro2k


    I always leave it in D, I was told in the past that it allows the oil to circulate


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 251 ✭✭Merl1n


    Some cars when you stop and have your foot on the brake let you kind of double click the brake and it puts on the hand brake or puts on on a brake that stops the car and lets you leave it it D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    depends on how long i'm stopped, how far back in the queue and the mood i'm in


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16 dpw11104


    I drive an automatic all the time (NYC) and leave it in Drive at short red lights , Neutral in stalled traffic or long lights to give the brake pedal a rest.My friend who I work with is from the Dominican Republic and always puts the car in neutral whenever he is stationary , which he says is the way everyone does it down there out of habit because if you get bumped it will mess your gears box up.I haven't a clue about engines,he does .Is he spoofing ?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,712 ✭✭✭✭R.O.R


    Leave it in D, but then again it's the same journey all the time so I know I won't be stopped for too long.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 874 ✭✭✭Gosub


    My gearbox does it for me. When I stop at lights it releases the drive. You can hear the revs raise slightly and feel the car 'relax' is the only way I can put it. When you take your foot off the brake, you can feel it engage.

    So, D all the way for me.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11 Baldandold


    I leave it in D the oil stays circulating and box doesn't overheat, but in ireland I think you are ment to put the car in nuteral and put the handbrake on at traffic lights.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,423 ✭✭✭fletch


    I drive a DSG and leave it in D as you can hear and clutches disengage drive and the revs drop. In a traditional automatic I tend to drop to N as I find it annoying as the car is trying to push forward against the brakes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,340 ✭✭✭mullingar


    I would leave it in D for a min or 2, but if I know its going to be longer, N.

    Gearbox fluid is always circulating through the gearbox and torque converter, selecting D closes a solenoid that forces fluid that was freely pumped around the torque converter directly to the fancy gearing system, hence loading the system even when stopped,


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 239 ✭✭ShanE90


    I leave it in D unless I know ill be stopped for 5mins then shift to N, when in D the car will do "hill hold " on a hill so it's mostly D for me!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,618 ✭✭✭milltown


    mullingar wrote: »
    Gearbox fluid is always circulating through the gearbox and torque converter, selecting D closes a solenoid that forces fluid that was freely pumped around the torque converter directly to the fancy gearing system, hence loading the system even when stopped,

    The torque convertor is always full of oil to it's recommended level. By selecting D all that happens is that a small amount of oil is sent to the clutch pack for the 1st or 2nd drive gears. I'm open to correction but I think that P is the only option that doesn't require oil pressure to any of the clutch packs. You would be a long way from starving the torque convertor of oil no matter what you select with the gear lever.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,718 ✭✭✭Matt Simis


    Autos with age on them really dont like being put in and out of D.. so stay in D unless you are actually parked IMO.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,310 ✭✭✭Pkiernan


    Neutral. Don't want to run over pedestrians if my foot slips off the brake.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 874 ✭✭✭Max001


    N. Unlike the drivers in front of me, I'd choose not to have those behind me 'blinded' by my brake lights. IMO sitting on your brakes when stationary is as thoughtless as driving all the time, with front fog lights on.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,534 ✭✭✭SV


    Automatic drivers love the D.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,661 ✭✭✭Voodoomelon


    D all day long. If you see taximen doing it, its likely they've had a manual all their life. Makes even less sense to do it in a city IMO.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭corkgsxr


    It makes no difference.


  • Posts: 23,339 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Max001 wrote: »
    .......... IMO sitting on your brakes when stationary is as thoughtless as driving all the time, with front fog lights on.

    21w stop lamps aren't as bright as 55w fogs :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 66,132 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    Back in the day I would always stay in "D"

    Haven't driven an auto much in the past few years. Manual cars are not FTW :(


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 890 ✭✭✭dh0011


    always N was told it is not good to have the engine trying to move forward while the brakes are fighting to keep the car still.
    Never questioned this view til now.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,661 ✭✭✭Voodoomelon


    dh0011 wrote: »
    always N was told it is not good to have the engine trying to move forward while the brakes are fighting to keep the car still.
    Never questioned this view til now.

    This is not the case, this is part of the job of the torque converter. The engine is simply turning over as normal when stopped and held with the brakes, the same as it would be when in park.

    The only "stress" on the car when stopped in D, is on the brakes and it requires the tiniest amount of brake pedal pressure to keep the car from moving. The amount of "strain" on the brake system is negligible; most of the components of the braking system is constantly serviceable also, pads, discs and fluid. The shifting system of a transmission is not.

    However the "strain" of constantly shifting between drive modes on an automatic transmission over the years is certainly worthy of note.


This discussion has been closed.
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