What are the steps for stopping at a red light with an automatic transmission?
3 Answers
Automatic transmission stopping at a red light steps are: 1. When approaching a red light, release the accelerator in advance and gradually apply the brake until the vehicle comes to a complete stop; 2. After stopping, shift the gear to N (neutral), engage the handbrake, and then release the foot brake. The principle of automatic transmission is to use planetary gear mechanisms for shifting. Driving tips for automatic transmission cars include: 1. Start gently by pressing the accelerator, always start in P (park) or N (neutral) gear, and avoid coasting in neutral; 2. Shift to N (neutral) when waiting at a red light or during brief stops, and use P (park) when parking; 3. Never shift into P (park) while the vehicle is moving; 4. Ensure the vehicle is completely stopped before shifting into R (reverse) for backing up.
When driving an automatic transmission car and encountering a red light, I usually operate as follows: First, I release the accelerator pedal in advance to let the car coast and decelerate naturally. When I'm about 20 meters away from the stop line, I gently apply the brakes and slowly bring the car to a complete stop. After stopping, I continue to hold the brake pedal while waiting for the red light countdown. If the red light lasts more than 30 seconds, I shift the gear from D (Drive) to N (Neutral) and engage the handbrake, which allows me to release my right foot and relax a bit. If the red light is only about ten seconds, I simply keep the gear in D while holding the brake. When the light turns green, I first release the handbrake (if it was engaged earlier), shift the gear back to D, observe the intersection for safety, and then gently press the accelerator to start moving. The key to the whole process is smoothness—sudden hard braking or aggressive starts can make passengers uncomfortable. Never shift to P (Park) when stopping, as a rear-end collision could severely damage the transmission.
My habit when waiting at a red light with an automatic transmission car is a two-step process: stopping and starting. During the stopping phase, I ease off the throttle when I see the red light about 200 meters away, allowing the car to gradually slow down. Around 50 meters from the stop line, I gently apply the brakes to ensure the car comes to a complete stop, then keep the brake pedal pressed. At this point, it's important to note the duration of the red light. For short red lights, I stay in D (Drive) with the brake pressed, while for long red lights, I shift to N (Neutral) and engage the handbrake. The starting phase is more about timing. I prepare two or three seconds before the light turns green by releasing the handbrake, shifting to D, and gently applying the throttle to start moving. It's especially important never to shift to P (Park) while waiting at a red light—a friend of mine did this and ended up getting rear-ended, costing over 8,000 yuan to repair the transmission. Also, when stopping on rainy days, it's crucial to increase the distance from the car in front.
