Should You Shift to Neutral at Traffic Lights with an Automatic Transmission?

[MacOlive]

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.