What gear to use when waiting at a traffic light?

[StDavid]

There are two methods: shifting to N gear and pulling the handbrake, or staying in D gear and stepping on the brake. Below are detailed explanations of gear usage when waiting at traffic lights: 1. Shifting to N gear and pulling the handbrake: The N gear disconnects the power link between the engine and the transmission, and the passive wheel of the hydraulic torque converter in the transmission is also in an idle state. At this time, it does not increase the resistance of the driving wheel connected to the engine, and fuel injection is reduced, making it relatively more fuel-efficient. To prevent the car from rolling, the brake must be stepped on or the handbrake pulled. 2. Staying in D gear and stepping on the brake: This is more convenient when the waiting time is short, as it allows for quick startup and consumes little fuel. However, if waiting at a traffic light for a long time, it increases the load on the engine and transmission, and also significantly increases fuel consumption.

[RichardMarie]

I've been driving for 15 years and am proficient with both manual and automatic transmissions. With manual transmissions, you must shift to neutral and engage the handbrake at red lights to give your left foot a rest and prevent premature clutch wear. For automatic transmissions, you can stay in D and hold the brake for short stops, but it's best to shift to neutral and use the handbrake if waiting over 30 seconds. Once I forgot to shift and after half an hour found the transmission fluid temperature alarmingly high. Especially with start-stop systems - it's fine in D when the engine auto-stops, but keeping D while holding the brake makes the torque converter work continuously, increasing fuel consumption and damaging the car. Be extra careful with AC on in summer - the engine vibrates slightly when stopped in D, but shifting to neutral makes it much smoother.

[DakotaLee]

When I first got my driver's license last year, I was also confused about how to shift gears at red lights. The instructor taught me a simple method: for manual transmissions, press the brake, shift to neutral, and pull the handbrake; for automatic transmissions, you can stay in D gear and press the brake for short periods, but switch to N gear and pull the handbrake if it exceeds one minute. In actual practice, I found that keeping my foot on the brake in D gear for too long made my ankle sore, especially during rush hour with seven or eight consecutive red lights—my leg would go numb. Later, I developed a habit of counting down the seconds at red lights: stay in D gear and press the brake if it's under 30 seconds, otherwise shift to neutral to free my right foot. By the way, many new cars now come with an auto-hold feature—once activated, you can release your foot after stopping in D gear, making it much easier than the traditional method.

[SanArcher]

When driving an automatic transmission car and waiting at a red light, I most commonly use the D gear while stepping on the brake, especially for short red lights in the city as it's the most convenient. If the red light lasts more than 40 seconds, like at a railroad crossing with a long wait, I shift to N gear and pull the handbrake. Once, while queuing at a highway toll booth, I kept the car in D gear and stepped on the brake for 15 minutes, and later the transmission showed obvious jerking. Now, when encountering a long red light over 2 minutes, I also turn off the engine, which saves fuel and is environmentally friendly. However, it's important to note that when the auto start-stop function is active, the engine automatically turns off in D gear while braking, so there's no need to worry about vehicle wear in this situation.

[GabriellaDella]

Driving a taxi for 10 hours a day, stopping at red lights is a common occurrence. For manual transmission cars, always shift to neutral and engage the handbrake, giving your right foot a break and saving the clutch. Modern automatic cars come with start-stop functionality; for short stops, just keep it in D and press the brake—the engine will shut off on its own. For long red lights over half a minute, I switch to neutral to protect the transmission and prevent overheating of the brake light bulbs. In summer, if you stay in D while pressing the brake, the air conditioning cooling efficiency drops—shifting to neutral fixes that. The key is to choose flexibly based on the duration of the red light. Don’t stay in D with the brake pressed just for convenience—it wastes fuel and harms the car.

[Earl]

My car is a hybrid, and the most effortless way to wait at a red light is to stay in D gear and press the brake. The electric motor assists, and the auto start-stop system temporarily shuts off the engine. However, for traditional gasoline cars, especially those with older transmissions, I’d recommend shifting to N gear if the wait exceeds 20 seconds. Once, a friend’s car burned out the transmission after revving the engine in D gear during a long red light. Cars with modern electronic parking brakes are even more convenient—just press the button, and you don’t need to hold the brake. Regardless of the car type, the key is to give your right foot a break while ensuring safety, avoiding prolonged tension.