Dual clutch 'DSG-style' autoboxes - D or N when stopped?

[Howard-]

Hi all,

I've recently acquired a car with a DCT gearbox (Ford Powershift) and as I'm the most anally mechanically-sympathetic person ever, I'm wondering about best practice when you're stopped, i.e. at some traffic lights.

In a car with a manual 'box, I'll always pop it in neutral (and put the handbrake on when necessary) if I'm sitting there for more than about 5 seconds.

Should I be doing the same with the autobox, to avoid wearing out its clutches, or is it not going to make any difference?


Thanks!

[Snowboy]

Leave it in D or move it to P if you want to rest your feet off the brakes.

[BE57 TOY]

I always leave mine in D (like the handbook says to!)

Audi S tronic box.

[DJP]

Don't these automatically select neutral after a few seconds idling (even when the shifter's left in Drive)?

I thought that most DCT 'boxes do?

[xRIEx]

Howard- said:

Should I be doing the same with the autobox, to avoid wearing out its clutches, or is it not going to make any difference?

Do the clutch(es) slip if the car's stationary? Are they not disengaged at a standstill?

[Osinjak]

If I stop for any length of time I usually put it in N and stick the handbrake on. I used to stick it in P but when some bell end damn near rear-ended me I don't anymore, don't fancy a knackered gearbox if I get shoved forward.

[Bungleaio]

A nackered gearbox is the least of your worries in a rear end accident.

I would think putting in neutral would be the best option.

[Campo]

Mine stays in D as the handbook says, I only slip it into N with the handbrake on if I can see I'll be stopped for a while.

They're designed to operate that was, at least in a VW.

[Garvin]

It doesn't make much difference what you do. Do you notice that there is a slight delay before the car will edge forward when you take your foot off the brake whilst in D? This the the time it takes for the clutch to take up full drive. There may well be some slight drag on the clutch plates in D compared to N or P but it is negligible in the greater scheme of clutch wear.

[Osinjak]

Bungleaio said:

A nackered gearbox is the least of your worries in a rear end accident.

I would think putting in neutral would be the best option.

Not necessarily, a minor shunt of six inches is enough to wreck it.

[ferrariF50lover]

On the basis of the above, a minor hijack, for which I apologise.

What happens if I stick my car into park at, say, 40mph?

Simon.

[Osinjak]

ferrariF50lover said:

On the basis of the above, a minor hijack, for which I apologise.

What happens if I stick my car into park at, say, 40mph?

Simon.

I suspect you'd have a moment of clarity.

[Finlandia]

ferrariF50lover said:

On the basis of the above, a minor hijack, for which I apologise.

What happens if I stick my car into park at, say, 40mph?

Simon.

A friend of mine did, on my 1976 Chevy van, not from 40 though more like 10, a very rapid stop in a very sideways manner, nothing broke on it.

[Howard-]

xRIEx said:

Do the clutch(es) slip if the car's stationary? Are they not disengaged at a standstill?

This is essentially what I'm wondering!



It will creep if I let my foot off the brake in D, but it's hard to tell if there's much delay.

[Falsey]

Ive had my VW DSG for a couple of weeks now and Ive taken to putting it in N with handbrake on if stationary for any length of time. The few times I left it in D when I first got it it tried to pull away leaving tension on the handbrake.

Dont like leaving it in D and on the footbrake and blinding the guy behind me.

I am the same as you with manuals, as soon as I stop at the lights its in N and handbrake on.

[va1o]

Normally put mine in N with the footbrake applied if I'm stopped for more than a few seconds. For short stops you can get away with leaving in D and it won't do it any harm. I don't generally use the handbrake except when I'm parking.

[aeropilot]

I've got the BMW DCT, and I leave it in D, as others have said the clutches disengage anyway, I'll only pop into N if knowing I'll be stationary, for more than a few minutes.

[blank]

Short stops D and footbrake.

Longer stops N and park brake.


That's on an Audi S Tronic.

If you do D and park brake with no foot brake you can feel the clutch fighting the brake and it doesn't feel the most mechanically sympathetic. It is a good technique for steep hill starts though.

[P924]

In my archaic auto I try to normally put it in N, mainly to get into the habit.

Big heavy car no engine breaking, means the brakes do all the work, then when stationary, I'm sitting there foot on the pedal, and the pads are heating the disc. when I got it, both discs had a perfect imprint of the pad on them. Brake judder was extreme.

[xRIEx]

P924 said:

I'm sitting there foot on the pedal, and the pads are heating the disc.

Not quite, although they may prevent a section of the disc from cooling.