Should You Shift to Neutral at Traffic Lights with an Automatic Transmission?
2 Answers
Automatic transmission cars can be shifted to neutral when waiting at traffic lights, and the handbrake can also be applied if the wait is prolonged. Here are the relevant details: 1. Duration for shifting to N (Neutral) at traffic lights: Placing the car in N for short periods while waiting at a red light is acceptable, but leaving it in N for extended periods can damage the car, especially the transmission. Keeping the car in D (Drive) while pressing the brake at a red light is akin to pressing both the accelerator and brake simultaneously in a manual transmission. This increases fuel consumption and, over time, puts prolonged stress on the torque converter, accelerating wear on components like the torque converter. 2. Avoid shifting to P (Park) at traffic lights: Shifting to P at a red light is not recommended because doing so without applying the handbrake can damage certain components; starting from P involves cumbersome steps; frequent shifting to P can cause gear grinding in the automatic transmission, damaging its bearings. The correct approach is to shift to N when braking; when the light turns green, shift to D and proceed.
I've asked many experienced mechanics about this issue. Actually, whether to shift to neutral at red lights for automatic transmissions depends on the situation. If the red light only lasts about ten seconds, there's no need to bother - just keep your foot on the brake in D gear, then release the brake when the light turns green. It's much more convenient. But for those long red lights lasting over a minute, I'd recommend shifting to N gear and applying the handbrake. This allows the transmission fluid to circulate properly and prevents overheating. Many new cars now come with auto start-stop systems - when you press the brake hard enough, the engine stops, so in this case whether you shift to neutral doesn't matter much. Just remember never to shift to P gear, because if you get rear-ended, the transmission could be completely destroyed. With over twenty years of driving experience, I believe keeping the brake pressed for short stops and shifting to neutral for longer waits is the most reasonable approach.
