Automatic car in neutral when stopped

Glen_Quagmire · 15-12-2018 2:44pm #1

The OH is getting driving lessons in an automatic car and the driving instructor told her to leave the car in Drive when stopped at traffic lights.

I learned this today when she was driving my car and I told her to put the car in Neutral when we were stuck at lights which take about 3 mins to change.

I'm guilty of leaving the car in Drive when I'm at a quick set of lights but I always thought it was good practice and good for the cars breaking and transmission systems to take it out of drive when stopped for long periods.

Question is, is the instructor right or wrong?

I've Googled it and came up with conflicting answers and would like to advise the OH what's right for doing her full licence test.

xabi · 15-12-2018 2:45pm

I never put it in neutral at lights or stuck in traffic

Emmersonn · 15-12-2018 2:47pm

Same here. I never put it in neutral at the lights. Double tap the brake and that holds the car until I accelerate to move off

Charlie19 · 15-12-2018 2:48pm

I don't think I've ever used Neutral;)

Park.
Drive.
Reverse.

Handbrake on at lights so no need for Neutral.

colm_mcm · 15-12-2018 2:50pm

It depends on the type of auto box. Some shouldn’t be left in D (automated manual boxes) and some can be. It’s considered good practice and perfectly safe. Downside being the brake lights are illuminated all the time you’re stopped. This has been discussed ad nauseum on other threads.

bazz26 · 15-12-2018 2:50pm

I've been driving automatics for about 5 or 6 years now and never put the car in neutral. If the car has an electronic parking brake/auto hold feature then it can be left in Drive when stopped at traffic lights for example. The electronic parking brake will engage and the car will only move again when the accelerator is pressed. For parking up then there is the parking button on the gear shifter that automatically engages the parking brake. I presume most other automatics are similar these days.

Glen_Quagmire · 15-12-2018 2:57pm

So does it make any difference which you do when taking the test?

johnnysmack · 15-12-2018 3:01pm

Glen_Quagmire wrote: »

So does it make any difference which you do when taking the test?

Do whatever the instructor said to do.

Glen_Quagmire · 15-12-2018 3:06pm

johnnysmack wrote:

Do whatever the instructor said to do.

I know that sounds like the logical thing to do, however my car is 12 years old so when it's in Drive and you're stopped at lights and on tbe break pedal, the car is still trying to move forward. As soon as you lift off the break away she goes.

Alternatively, if I put the car in Neutral, I can hear the engine relax slightly which indicates to me its the right thing to do.

I take the points above that newer cars have built in electronics which allows the car to be left In Drive but my car doesn't appear to have this.

corks finest · 15-12-2018 3:07pm

johnnysmack wrote: »

Glen_Quagmire wrote: »

So does it make any difference which you do when taking the test?

Do whatever the instructor said to do.

I've an import Suzuki swift sport , always put it in N, though I read on Suzuki forums that it doesent harm gear box if in drive but ,don't fancy holding brake pedal down the whole time whilst at lights

mikeecho · 15-12-2018 3:12pm

Just leave it in D

Alkers · 15-12-2018 3:17pm

What car is it? Read the manual

DaveyDave · 15-12-2018 3:31pm

It's perfectly fine to leave an automatic in drive but specific to the driving test I don't think this ok.

I was taught that when at the front of the queue at a red light to keep it in drive with the handbrake on to be ready to move off and when behind cars to put it in neutral with the handbrake. The main reason is to keep the car secured when stopped.

Wishbone Ash · 15-12-2018 3:47pm

DaveyDave wrote: »

It's perfectly fine to leave an automatic in drive but specific to the driving test I don't think this ok...

It's perfectly acceptable during a driving test.

(It would be utterly pointless having a car with automatic transmission otherwise.)

Isambard · 15-12-2018 3:50pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

It's perfectly acceptable during a driving test.

(It would be utterly pointless having a car with automatic transmission otherwise.)

surely ditto having an N position?

Cerco · 15-12-2018 3:55pm

Isambard wrote: »

surely ditto having an N position?

Use neutral when in auto car wash.

Wishbone Ash · 15-12-2018 4:00pm

Isambard wrote: »

surely ditto having an N position?

Before engaging reverse.

Spook_ie · 15-12-2018 4:13pm

From the RSA testers booklet http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/ADI/Information%20Pack/DrivingFault_Marking_Guides.pdf

(e) Handbrake: not applied as appropriate on an incline, or during a prolonged stop in traffic, or being
applied before the vehicle has come to a halt, or inadequate application, or attempting to drive
while the handbrake is still engaged. Not applying the handbrake at the end of the test.

NSAman · 15-12-2018 4:21pm

Only time the car goes into neutral is when I’m in the car wash drive-thru...wife is correct, now eat humble pie..:)

Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime · 15-12-2018 5:55pm

Simpsons comes to mind here

Put it in "H" !

In all seriousness to the OP I would say leave it in "D"

Unless there's an issue or there's a delay that you will be stopped for longer than usual then put it in "N"

But for the most part leaving it in "D" is perfectly fine.

Pkiernan · 15-12-2018 6:00pm

Neutral, handbrake on is the safest.
Just like in a manual car.

sunnysoutheast · 15-12-2018 7:15pm

Not sure holding on the brakes in D for long periods is too healthy for DSG/DCT type transmissions but for torque converter types there's no issue, other than brake lights being on.

Start/stop is also a consideration, in BMWs for example you can press P and apply handbrake and the engine restarts when you move into D.

Isambard · 15-12-2018 7:42pm

Pkiernan wrote: »

Neutral, handbrake on is the safest.
Just like in a manual car.

simpler to put it in park surely.

Nate--IRL-- · 15-12-2018 7:53pm

I always use N and handbrake when stopped at lights for a long time. There's no real need, but it means I can relax a bit. Also not blind the poor fecker behind me.

Nate

Heres Johnny · 16-12-2018 11:23am

Short stops I leave in drive with foot on brake. If I expect to be stopped for a long time (longer than normal bumper to bumper traffic or stopped at fully functional traffic lights) I put it in neutral and handbrake, if only to get a comfy leg position. I don't think it matters a blind bit of difference to the car/engine/gearbox

Pretzill · 16-12-2018 12:49pm

I don't have park (I have stick controls on the steering wheel) but put the handbrake (electronic) on at the lights and normally stay out of neutral and in A1.

Also it depends if you roll up to the back of a queue and the lights have been red for a while I just hold the brake in.

I

Del2005 · 16-12-2018 12:58pm

Glen_Quagmire wrote: »

I know that sounds like the logical thing to do, however my car is 12 years old so when it's in Drive and you're stopped at lights and on tbe break pedal, the car is still trying to move forward. As soon as you lift off the break away she goes.

Alternatively, if I put the car in Neutral, I can hear the engine relax slightly which indicates to me its the right thing to do.

I take the points above that newer cars have built in electronics which allows the car to be left In Drive but my car doesn't appear to have this.

All older autos do that it's the torque converter and was useful for hill starts before hill holder technology was invented, you are doing no harm to anything leaving it in drive. My last few cars have been autos and both say to leave in D when stopped at lights, only time I use P and/or the parking brake is when getting out of the car.

EdgeCase · 16-12-2018 12:59pm

I knew one driver who used to turn off the ignition at lights! He was always getting beeped at because it sold take him a good 5 seconds or more to move.

The only important thing at lights is to ensure you've a solid brake applied.

I remember years ago a friend of mine was sitting in neutral without anything applied in terms of brakes and a car rear ended him. He ended up in the middle of a busy junction and was hit side on and taken to the cleaners by the car he rolled into.

From a safety perspective just keep a firm brake on.

Most automatics, and particularly hybrids, shouldn't be put into neutral at lights. It doesn't make any sense to do so.

A friend of mine also got bolloxed out of it by an American cop for being stopped without showing brake lights. He was driving a hired manual car (ordered specially) and was sitting with a hand brake on.

They told him he was a hazard on the road as people slow as stop when they see brake lights. That's what they're for etc etc

grogi · 16-12-2018 1:00pm

Glen_Quagmire wrote: »

The OH is getting driving lessons in an automatic car and the driving instructor told her to leave the car in Drive when stopped at traffic lights.

I learned this today when she was driving my car and I told her to put the car in Neutral when we were stuck at lights which take about 3 mins to change.

I'm guilty of leaving the car in Drive when I'm at a quick set of lights but I always thought it was good practice and good for the cars breaking and transmission systems to take it out of drive when stopped for long periods.

Question is, is the instructor right or wrong?

I've Googled it and came up with conflicting answers and would like to advise the OH what's right for doing her full licence test.

It automatic... Put it in drive and forget about it.

EdgeCase · 16-12-2018 1:09pm

grogi wrote: »

It automatic... Put it in drive and forget about it.

I'd agree. There's no driving test reason to do this and it's very impractical in a lot of automatics.

Yourmama · 16-12-2018 1:57pm

My car manual specifically says to keep in D on short stops like traffic lights. This allows the engine to top up batteries if needed (it's hybrid). In N batteries won't charge.

Del2005 · 16-12-2018 2:40pm

Yourmama wrote: »

My car manual specifically says to keep in D on short stops like traffic lights. This allows the engine to top up batteries if needed (it's hybrid). In N batteries won't charge.

Mine says the same but it does charge when in neutral or park.

Skatedude · 17-12-2018 4:23pm

Always leave it in D.

MascotDec85 · 18-12-2018 9:58am

Another driving instructor here: Drive

Automatic car in neutral when stopped

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