Can Automatic Transmission Vehicles Coast in Neutral?
1 Answers
Automatic transmission vehicles should not coast in neutral. Coasting in neutral can lead to insufficient lubrication inside the transmission, which may cause damage over time. Here are more reasons why: When an automatic transmission vehicle is shifted into neutral while driving, the braking force of the car decreases, increasing the risk of rear-end collisions. This is because, in neutral, the connection between the engine and the drive wheels is lost, and the car moves forward solely by inertia. In an emergency requiring braking, all the braking force must come from the brakes alone. In contrast, when coasting in gear, the engine provides some resistance, and combined with the brakes, the braking distance is shortened. Additionally, coasting in neutral can cause the engine to stall, leading to failure of the brake booster and reduced braking performance. Coasting in neutral does not save fuel; sometimes, it even consumes more. This is related to the operation of fuel-injected engines. A fuel-injected engine can determine the amount of fuel injection based on the computer program. When coasting in gear, if the driver releases the accelerator, the computer puts the car into a coasting mode where the engine does not inject fuel for a significant period. However, if coasting in neutral, the computer switches the car to idle mode, and the engine continues to inject fuel.
