Is it necessary to press the brake when shifting from S to D gear?
2 Answers
Shifting from S to D gear does not require pressing the brake. Below are some relevant introductions about automatic transmissions: 1. Shifting from P to any gear requires pressing the brake: This is a safety feature to ensure driving safety. Otherwise, the moment you shift from P to R or D, the car will immediately have a driving force backward or forward, and the handbrake alone may not be sufficient to stabilize the car, which could easily lead to danger. 2. D-N and R-N require the car to be stationary: For automatic transmission cars, when shifting from D or R gear to neutral, it is best to stop the car completely before operating. This is because the gear positions of an automatic transmission are controlled by the clamping and releasing of one-way clutches. When a gear is engaged, the corresponding gear clutch is pressed under the action of the hydraulic mechanism, and when the gear is disengaged, the hydraulic mechanism releases the pressure to loosen the clutch. If the car is still moving when disengaging the gear, the wheels will continue to drive the gear mechanism, leading to increased wear on the gear clutch.
I've been driving automatic transmissions for ten years, and this question is actually quite representative. Shifting from S to D gear doesn't require pressing the brake at all, as both are forward gears and the switch won't cause any impact on the transmission. It's like switching from normal mode to sport mode while driving - you can seamlessly switch at any time. However, be aware that shifting at high speeds might cause some jerkiness, so it's better to operate below 60km/h for a smoother transition. Also, a reminder: if you're in S gear at a red light, you can directly shift to D gear without unnecessarily pressing the brake and wearing out the brake pads.
