Correct protocol for using an automatic transmission?
Discussion
I find the thing my 20 year old auto box hates is stop, start and/or crawling in big motorway queues. The sort of queue where putting it in D with no throttle means it creeps faster than the speed of the queue, so you are constantly trying to hold it back.
As for holding it with the foot brake for long periods, thats a no no, temp starts to climb. As I discovered when I was new to driving it. Rainy motorway queue, in D foot on brake the engine was steaming the water off the bonnet.
As for holding it with the foot brake for long periods, thats a no no, temp starts to climb. As I discovered when I was new to driving it. Rainy motorway queue, in D foot on brake the engine was steaming the water off the bonnet.
I never knew automatic gearboxes were so much work. In my mind if a car is automatic it really shouldn't have anything other than a forwards/backwards lever. Like a DAF.
Out of interest, why do autos creep forwards? Surely they should just sit perfectly stationary in drive until the accelerator is pressed?
Out of interest, why do autos creep forwards? Surely they should just sit perfectly stationary in drive until the accelerator is pressed?
If its a short traffic light stop leave it in drive, put your left foot on the brake, Right over the go faster peddle, lights change, well you get the idea 
and try left foot braking, its a bit odd to start with, but its handy when you have worked it out and then you can chose which peddle to brake with, or both in an emergency!
and try left foot braking, its a bit odd to start with, but its handy when you have worked it out and then you can chose which peddle to brake with, or both in an emergency!
Perd Hapley said:
I never knew automatic gearboxes were so much work. In my mind if a car is automatic it really shouldn't have anything other than a forwards/backwards lever. Like a DAF.
Out of interest, why do autos creep forwards? Surely they should just sit perfectly stationary in drive until the accelerator is pressed?
Out of interest, why do autos creep forwards? Surely they should just sit perfectly stationary in drive until the accelerator is pressed?
Okay, next time you're on level ground, in a manual, let out the clutch pedal slowly whilst in 1st gear.
Stationary or moving?
PJ S said:
Okay, next time you're on level ground, in a manual, let out the clutch pedal slowly whilst in 1st gear.
Stationary or moving?
Perd Hapley said:
Aye, but surely an automatic should just always be in neutral until you press the accelerator. That's what would make it an automatic gearbox - it does that stuff for you.
A basic auto as mine is, just changes gear without you having to use the clutch. If you put it in neutral (as with most cars) and apply pressure with the throttle it will just rev. If you were in a automotic car in neutral and pressed the throttle as you say, how does it know if you want to go forward or reverse into a parking bay?
I've been driving a Range Rover Evoque Si4 recently this past week or so and the combination of automatic 'box and electric parking brake is excellent. With previous automatics I've driven extensively (most recently an E60 5-Series and an Audi S5), I have always been frustrated by faffing with the gearbox when in traffic.
I spent an hour-and-a-half in stop-start M25 traffic today in the RR and it was a breeze: coming to a stop you simply apply the foot brake as normal until at a standstill and then, with your foot still on the pedal and the gearbox still in D, apply the electronic parking brake. When it's time to move, simply touch the accelerator and the car automatically and instantaneously disengages the parking brake and away you go! Finally, an automatic that is easier in traffic (without simply leaving your foot on the brake pedal - something I don't like doing) than a manual!
I spent an hour-and-a-half in stop-start M25 traffic today in the RR and it was a breeze: coming to a stop you simply apply the foot brake as normal until at a standstill and then, with your foot still on the pedal and the gearbox still in D, apply the electronic parking brake. When it's time to move, simply touch the accelerator and the car automatically and instantaneously disengages the parking brake and away you go! Finally, an automatic that is easier in traffic (without simply leaving your foot on the brake pedal - something I don't like doing) than a manual!
Cotty said:
A basic auto as mine is, just changes gear without you having to use the clutch. If you put it in neutral (as with most cars) and apply pressure with the throttle it will just rev.
If you were in a automotic car in neutral and pressed the throttle as you say, how does it know if you want to go forward or reverse into a parking bay?
That's why I mentioned the DAF Variomatic CVT - you just have a lever to choose between forward, neutral and reverse. Here's the operating instructions: choose direction, press pedal. If you were in a automotic car in neutral and pressed the throttle as you say, how does it know if you want to go forward or reverse into a parking bay?
Instead we routinely have automatic gearbox 'shifters' with more positions than a six speed manual.
Perd Hapley said:
That's why I mentioned the DAF Variomatic CVT - you just have a lever to choose between forward, neutral and reverse. Here's the operating instructions: choose direction, press pedal.
But thats contary to your previous post Perd Hapley said:
Aye, but surely an automatic should just always be in neutral until you press the accelerator. That's what would make it an automatic gearbox - it does that stuff for you.
You still have to change from neutral to the direction you wish to travel 
Or are you saying that on selecting the direction you want travel (i.e. from Neutral to Reverse or Drive) it should revert to Neutral until you press the throttle?
Perd Hapley said:
That's why I mentioned the DAF Variomatic CVT - you just have a lever to choose between forward, neutral and reverse. Here's the operating instructions: choose direction, press pedal.
Instead we routinely have automatic gearbox 'shifters' with more positions than a six speed manual.
No we don't. Add "Park" to your DAF gearbox selection and that's what mine has. PRND.Instead we routinely have automatic gearbox 'shifters' with more positions than a six speed manual.
PJ S said:
It's not exactly taxing on the brain to think of possible scenarios, and be ready for them.
And the Lexus may have R between D and N (forgotten as I didn't study its pattern meticulously), but assuming you have the first clue about driving ANY vehicle, you'd only let go of the lever when in the correct position, not before!
And the Lexus may have R between D and N (forgotten as I didn't study its pattern meticulously), but assuming you have the first clue about driving ANY vehicle, you'd only let go of the lever when in the correct position, not before!
Perd Hapley said:
Aye, but surely an automatic should just always be in neutral until you press the accelerator. That's what would make it an automatic gearbox - it does that stuff for you.
Legally (US law, and possibly EU now too) there MUST be a dedicated Neutral position between Reverse and Drive. I heard a story that this was because of an early 'box which when worn under hard acceleration would jump out of drive and in the absense of neutral would select reverse, with obvious consequences.However, I suspect it's probably just to create a safety barrier so that the idiot user is less likely to select reverse when waiting at lights or to try to do it whilst moving.
At a light, leave it in drive. The torque converter does the slipping so who cares.
On a hill, with your brakes on, apply the parking brake, then put it in park. This assumes you have a functioning parking brake.
On a level surface, just put it in park. There is no strain on the parking pawl.
On a hill, with your brakes on, apply the parking brake, then put it in park. This assumes you have a functioning parking brake.
On a level surface, just put it in park. There is no strain on the parking pawl.
Okay I will clarify. I am not holding up the DAF transmission as an ideal, I just think that an ideal automatic gearbox would only give you the option of FORWARD : NEUTRAL : REVERSE and the car does not move at all until the accelerator is pressed.
They're supposed to be simpler than a manual gearbox with clutch. Yet we've got a thread where people are discussing whether its better to use the handbrake or the park function or both, discussing whether to change to neutral at lights or hold it on the brakes, how long you can hold it on the brakes before you should move to neutral.
None of these things should be issues, because I can't see why 'park' even exists while every car also has a handbrake, and a car shouldn't move in gear when the driver isn't pressing the accelerator! At least a manual would stall.
They're supposed to be simpler than a manual gearbox with clutch. Yet we've got a thread where people are discussing whether its better to use the handbrake or the park function or both, discussing whether to change to neutral at lights or hold it on the brakes, how long you can hold it on the brakes before you should move to neutral.
None of these things should be issues, because I can't see why 'park' even exists while every car also has a handbrake, and a car shouldn't move in gear when the driver isn't pressing the accelerator! At least a manual would stall.
... Lots of messing with auto boxes that's true with the sports/winter/willy waving settings and amusing toys that alter the rates of change from elephant ear wagging speed to faster than the blink of an eye. It's all fluffy fannying around until the bliss of sitting in yet another traffic jam and the only thing you have to do is leave the thing in drive, alternate between two pedals and the let the electric handbrake take the drama out of everything else. Bliss on yet another crappy Monday morning on the M25.
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