What is the correct method for driving downhill in an automatic transmission car?
3 Answers
The correct method for driving downhill in an automatic transmission car is: 1. Shift to L gear when going downhill, and use the foot brake in combination. Remember not to shift to N gear; 2. Do not coast in neutral. The automatic transmission requires lubrication, and when the gear is placed in N while driving, the oil pump cannot supply oil normally for lubrication; 3. Under normal downhill conditions, using D gear with intermittent braking is sufficient. For steep slopes, use L gear to control the speed or manually shift gears to regulate speed; 4. Pay attention to road conditions while driving. In case of emergencies, apply the brakes. If the brakes fail, repeatedly press and release the brake pedal several times to potentially restore brake function. Hold the steering wheel firmly to prevent the car from veering off course and apply the handbrake.
Having driven for over a decade, I love using engine braking on mountain descents. Never just leave an automatic transmission in D gear all the way down—slow down at the top of the slope and shift to a lower gear like L, M, or 2. In lower gears, the engine automatically revs higher to hold the car back, so you rarely need to press the accelerator. This keeps your descent speed steady around 40 km/h, and a light tap on the brakes is enough for sharp turns. Just avoid letting the tachometer hit the red zone during the descent. Switch back to D gear once you're on flat ground. This technique protects your brake pads from overheating—last year, I navigated the entire 72 Hairpin Turns of Nujiang without a single hard brake, making it worry-free and safe.
As a car enthusiast, I've studied downhill driving principles: shifting to a lower gear turns the engine into an air compressor in reverse, creating significant resistance. When encountering long descents in an automatic transmission car, I prefer switching to manual mode and locking it in 2nd gear in advance. Keeping the RPM around 3,000 makes the car descend at a steady speed as if being pulled by a rope. Braking only requires a light tap before curves, completely avoiding the danger of brake fluid boiling from prolonged braking. For cars without manual mode, you can use L gear or S sport mode with similar effects. Once when driving a friend's Tesla downhill, I didn't even need to adjust gears - simply lifting off the accelerator in one-pedal mode provided deceleration, which was super convenient.
