Do You Need to Press the Brake When Shifting Gears in an Automatic Transmission?
2 Answers
When shifting gears, in most cases, you don't need to press the brake. Here are the situations where you need to press the brake: 1. Starting from P gear: When starting from P gear, you must press the brake in this situation. Because the car has just started, not pressing the brake can easily cause the car to roll. 2. Driving in neutral: When driving in neutral, you should press the brake. In fact, experienced drivers do not recommend shifting to neutral while driving. But if you really need to shift to neutral, remember to press the brake to avoid emergencies that cannot be resolved. 3. Shifting from N gear: When shifting from N gear to D gear or R gear, you also need to press the brake. If you don't press the brake, the car may surge forward or stop suddenly, which can cause significant damage to the transmission system.
I remember when I first started driving, I was always curious about whether you need to press the brake when shifting gears in an automatic transmission. Now, after driving for over ten years, I never press the brake when shifting gears under normal driving conditions, such as switching from D (Drive) to S (Sport) mode or manual gear positions. I just move the gear lever directly—the transmission is smartly designed to handle smooth transitions. However, if the car is moving at high speed, I avoid shifting into N (Neutral), as it could lead to a sudden loss of power and create safety risks. Shifting into R (Reverse) or P (Park) requires coming to a complete stop and pressing the brake. The key is understanding the car’s mechanism: gear shifts are electronically controlled with protective locks to prevent incorrect operations. It’s best to develop the habit of shifting only when necessary for acceleration or deceleration—this ensures both convenience and safety. Once, while overtaking on the highway, I quickly switched from D to S without braking, and the response was impressively fast. I recommend that new drivers practice shifting in low-speed conditions to get familiar with it and avoid doing so in heavy traffic.