Should You Shift to Neutral at Red Lights with an Automatic Transmission?
2 Answers
Automatic transmission cars should be shifted to neutral when waiting at red lights. Here is an introduction to gear shifting knowledge for automatic transmission cars: 1. Practice at red lights: The correct approach when waiting at red lights with an automatic transmission is to use 'Neutral gear + handbrake.' This method does not harm the car, as the Neutral gear disconnects the engine from the transmission's power transfer, and the handbrake prevents situations like rolling collisions. 2. Auto Start-Stop function: After activating this function by pressing the button, the vehicle will automatically brake once it comes to a stop, eliminating the need to shift from reverse or drive gears, keeping the vehicle in a parked state. However, not shifting into neutral still poses certain safety risks, such as rapid acceleration if the accelerator is accidentally pressed, which can easily lead to collision accidents.
As an automatic transmission car owner with over a decade of driving experience, I used to shift to neutral at red lights thinking it would save some fuel costs. Later, I conducted specific tests and found the fuel consumption difference was so minimal it's almost negligible. Modern car transmissions are intelligently optimized when stopped in Drive (D) gear - the engine automatically adjusts load to maintain low fuel consumption. The auto start-stop function is even better; it shuts off the engine when braking in D gear, much more convenient than shifting to Neutral (N). Frequent gear shifting not only creates hassle but may accelerate wear on internal transmission valves, especially during frequent operations in urban traffic jams. My suggestion is to stay in D gear for short red lights, only considering neutral for waits over 1-2 minutes - this saves energy and is safer. Driving should focus on practicality, don't overcomplicate with unnecessary maneuvers.
