Should You Shift to Neutral at Traffic Lights with an Automatic Transmission?
2 Answers
It is recommended to shift to neutral when waiting at traffic lights with an automatic transmission car. If the wait is prolonged, you can also engage the handbrake. Here are some relevant details: 1. When waiting at a red light, shifting to N (neutral) for a short period is fine, but leaving it in N for an extended time can damage the car, especially the transmission. 2. Keeping the car in D (drive) while pressing the brake at a red light is equivalent to pressing both the accelerator and brake in a manual transmission car. In this scenario, fuel consumption increases, and over time, the torque converter remains under stress, accelerating wear on components like the torque converter. 3. It is not advisable to shift to P (park) while waiting at a red light. Firstly, shifting to P without engaging the handbrake can cause damage to certain components. Secondly, starting from P involves more cumbersome steps. Thirdly, frequently shifting to P can lead to gear grinding in the automatic transmission, damaging the transmission bearings.
When stopping at traffic lights in an automatic transmission car, whether to shift to neutral or not, as a veteran driver with over 20 years of experience, I prefer to decide based on the situation. In the past, older cars lacked modern features, so for long red lights (e.g., more than half a minute), I would shift to N (neutral) to save a bit of fuel, reduce engine load, and minimize wear, but I always made sure to firmly press the brake to prevent rolling. Nowadays, new cars come with automatic start-stop systems that shut off the engine at red lights, saving fuel more efficiently, so I rarely shift to neutral and let the car handle it itself. For short red lights lasting just a few seconds, there's no need to bother—frequent shifting can actually wear out the transmission. The key is to ensure safety; don’t take risks just to save a little money. For prolonged stops, shifting to neutral is fine, but it’s best to engage the handbrake as a precaution. Overall, developing a habit that’s convenient and reassuring is the way to go—don’t overcomplicate things.
