Should You Shift to N or P Gear at a Red Light?
2 Answers
The specific gear to choose when waiting at a red light entirely depends on the duration of the traffic light. Here are the relevant recommendations: 1. For less than 30 seconds: It is advisable to keep the gear in D and engage the handbrake. For models equipped with a braking system, such as Mercedes-Benz or BMW series with an automatic parking system, you can activate the stop-and-go function by pressing the brake pedal. Once the light turns green, simply press the accelerator to proceed. 2. For more than 30 seconds: It is recommended to shift to N gear and engage the handbrake. Shifting to N gear effectively protects the transmission and gives the mechanical components a rest period, which is also a way to care for your vehicle. 3. For 30 seconds to 60 seconds: You can choose to shift to neutral or P gear; the choice is not absolute. 4. For more than 60 seconds: It is best to shift to P gear, as doing so allows you to relax completely, unlike staying in D gear or neutral where you still need to monitor the vehicle's status.
After driving for so many years, I believe shifting to neutral (N gear) at red lights is more appropriate than parking gear (P gear). Red lights are usually short, lasting only tens of seconds. Shifting to neutral puts the car in an idle state, with no load on the transmission, and the engine can save some fuel. Keeping it in parking gear for a long time locks the transmission chain, and if the car behind rear-ends you, it may damage internal components, which would be troublesome to repair. Besides, when in neutral, I usually lightly press the brake to prevent the car from rolling and protect the brake pads from wearing out too quickly. Some beginners might directly shift to parking gear to prevent rolling, but over time, this increases fuel consumption. In short, I recommend using neutral for short red lights and switching to parking gear only for long red lights or slopes, balancing safety and efficiency.
