Does Coasting in Neutral Save or Waste Fuel?
2 Answers
Coasting in neutral does not save fuel; sometimes it even consumes more and is detrimental to driving safety. Modern vehicles generally use fuel-injected engines controlled by the vehicle's ECU for fuel injection. If you choose to coast in neutral, the ECU will put the car into idle mode, which actually requires fuel injection to keep the engine running. Disadvantages of coasting in neutral: 1. Prone to stalling: Coasting in neutral can easily cause the vehicle to stall, which is harmful to the engine. Coasting in neutral should only be done under safe conditions and when the vehicle's technical condition is normal. It is prohibited to coast with the engine off, especially when going down steep or long slopes. 2. Reduced safety: Coasting in neutral significantly compromises safety. In fact, a vehicle's forward motion relies on the torque generated by the engine. Higher gears provide less torque, and throttle response becomes sluggish, slowing down acceleration. Therefore, the correct way to overtake is to downshift one gear. For automatic transmissions, simply pressing the accelerator pedal all the way down will cause the transmission to downshift one gear to provide sufficient torque.
From my years of driving experience, coasting in neutral may actually consume more fuel, especially in modern vehicles. Many people prefer shifting to neutral while coasting, thinking that disengaging the engine from the wheels saves fuel, but the opposite is true. When the vehicle is in neutral, the engine must maintain idle speed, and the fuel injection system continues to operate, consuming fuel. In contrast, when coasting in gear, the engine management system may completely cut off fuel injection, achieving zero fuel consumption and helping to save fuel. I usually keep the gear engaged before a red light or when going downhill—not only is fuel consumption lower, but it’s also safer. Older carbureted cars might behave slightly differently, but most vehicles today are electronically controlled, making this practice outdated. I remember trying it a few times before—the fuel gauge dropped faster after coasting in neutral. I suggest not falling for this misconception and developing good driving habits for both safety and fuel efficiency.
