Should You Shift to Neutral When Stopping at Traffic Lights?
1 Answers
Manual transmission vehicles should be shifted to neutral when stopping at traffic lights. If not shifted to neutral, the engine may stall. Alternatively, you can keep the clutch pedal depressed, but prolonged clutch usage may cause damage. Automatic transmission vehicles do not need to shift to N (neutral) when stopping at traffic lights. Below are related explanations: 1. Automatic Transmission Vehicles: For prolonged stops, it is recommended to shift to P (park) in automatic transmission vehicles to reduce foot fatigue. When idling in drive (D) gear, although the vehicle is stationary with the brake pedal depressed, there is still power output. The vehicle doesn't move because this power is dissipated in the torque converter. However, this power loss has minimal impact on the transmission itself, at most slightly increasing fuel consumption compared to idling in neutral. 2. Torque Converter: Automatic transmission vehicles do not have a clutch between the engine and transmission; instead, they use a torque converter for connection. The torque converter serves two purposes: transmitting rotational speed and torque, and providing a non-rigid connection between the engine and automatic transmission to facilitate automatic gear shifting. The working principle of a torque converter can be likened to two fans facing each other: one fan operates and blows air to rotate the other inactive fan. This analogy vividly explains the working relationship between the pump and turbine in a torque converter. Therefore, staying in D gear with the brake pedal depressed while waiting at a red light for even ten minutes generally poses no significant issues.
