Looking after an auto 'box. First time owner
Discussion
Hi guys
I'm off to pick up a new car tomorrow.
Anyways, now I'm cracking on (30 soon), I have decided to opt for an auto transmission for the first time. Now, I spend most of my time either in a queue to get on a motorway, or cruising along one.
So, my question is, how do I drive it? Anything particular I need to do to extend its life? What about in built up traffic, does one hold the car on the brakes or use neutral and hand brake? What about parking up overnight?
Cheers in advance for any help.
I'm off to pick up a new car tomorrow.
Anyways, now I'm cracking on (30 soon), I have decided to opt for an auto transmission for the first time. Now, I spend most of my time either in a queue to get on a motorway, or cruising along one.
So, my question is, how do I drive it? Anything particular I need to do to extend its life? What about in built up traffic, does one hold the car on the brakes or use neutral and hand brake? What about parking up overnight?
Cheers in advance for any help.
After 20 years of driving and well over 20 cars I've recently bought my first Auto.
General advice seems to be keep it in D pretty much all the time unless you're stuck in a non moving queue for a long period of time - shifting from N to D and back repeatedly in traffic causes more wear on the box than just leaving it alone.
When parking pull up, put it in N, handbrake on so its held on the handbrake and then put it in P
Most auto owners dont use the handbrake much if at all prefering to hold the car on the Gearbox when in P - not only can this damage the box it also means the handbrake doesnt get used which causes problems at MOT time.
A change of fluid and filters by someone who knows what they're doing wont hurt either.
General advice seems to be keep it in D pretty much all the time unless you're stuck in a non moving queue for a long period of time - shifting from N to D and back repeatedly in traffic causes more wear on the box than just leaving it alone.
When parking pull up, put it in N, handbrake on so its held on the handbrake and then put it in P
Most auto owners dont use the handbrake much if at all prefering to hold the car on the Gearbox when in P - not only can this damage the box it also means the handbrake doesnt get used which causes problems at MOT time.
A change of fluid and filters by someone who knows what they're doing wont hurt either.
Put it into neutral if you're going to be stood more than a few seconds - reduce your fuel bill.
VAG DSG boxes need servicing every 40k.
Lots of conventional torque converter autos are 'sealed for life'. Usually a short life unless you get proactive. Change the oil and clean/replace the filter at 60-70k and it'll run like a Swiss Watch.
VAG DSG boxes need servicing every 40k.
Lots of conventional torque converter autos are 'sealed for life'. Usually a short life unless you get proactive. Change the oil and clean/replace the filter at 60-70k and it'll run like a Swiss Watch.
Leave it in D at lights and in stop and go traffic. If going to be stopped for longer than a minute put it in P.
P and handbrake when parked. You don't really need the handbrake, but it is good to use it regularly to keep it working.
Some transmissions don't like high revs when in P or N so don't do that, not that you should ever need to regardless of transmission.
If mileage is sub 70-80K ish, have a specialist flush and refill trans fluid even if manufacturer specifies "lifetime" fluid. If the mileage is much higher leave well enough alone as problems could occur.
If your car has flappy paddles or a floppy shifter or tiptronic or shiftronic or some other tronic, ignore them. They were put there to get people to buy the car, now that you have bought the car, they are no longer needed (unless you are showing the car off to mates etc). Put the car in D and let the *automatic* gearbox do what you paid for it to do.
P and handbrake when parked. You don't really need the handbrake, but it is good to use it regularly to keep it working.
Some transmissions don't like high revs when in P or N so don't do that, not that you should ever need to regardless of transmission.
If mileage is sub 70-80K ish, have a specialist flush and refill trans fluid even if manufacturer specifies "lifetime" fluid. If the mileage is much higher leave well enough alone as problems could occur.
If your car has flappy paddles or a floppy shifter or tiptronic or shiftronic or some other tronic, ignore them. They were put there to get people to buy the car, now that you have bought the car, they are no longer needed (unless you are showing the car off to mates etc). Put the car in D and let the *automatic* gearbox do what you paid for it to do.
Auto box, put it in drive and hit the go pedal. Hold on brakes at lights unless they have just changed to red,use handbrake when parked up. On motorways try and stop awake, if you are doing a lot of driving in stop start traffic you will wonder why you didn`t do it earlier.If it`s got a decent sized engine you will love it, if it`s got a lawnmower at the front you will loathe it very quickly. The main thing is, everybodies advice will be different.
And the above answers are the "rub" op.
I have a ZF autobox in my BMW, and I'm told, by both the main dealer and ZF, that if I leave my car idling in either N or P, I will cause it to overheat !
Some autoboxes, (mine is one), are sealed for life, and never need servicing, you can't even check the oil level on mine.
Please check on your specific box.
I have a ZF autobox in my BMW, and I'm told, by both the main dealer and ZF, that if I leave my car idling in either N or P, I will cause it to overheat !
Some autoboxes, (mine is one), are sealed for life, and never need servicing, you can't even check the oil level on mine.
Please check on your specific box.
To go Forward - Put it in D
To reverse - Put it in R
When parked up - put it in P
If going up and down hills etc, you can pick the gear, operation of this feature varies between models, please consult your manual for further information.
It may need to be serviced at regular intervals, you can check with your mechanic as he may know, or consult the vehicle documentation or even contact the manufacturer.
To reverse - Put it in R
When parked up - put it in P
If going up and down hills etc, you can pick the gear, operation of this feature varies between models, please consult your manual for further information.
It may need to be serviced at regular intervals, you can check with your mechanic as he may know, or consult the vehicle documentation or even contact the manufacturer.
jamoor said:
To go Forward - Put it in D
To reverse - Put it in R
When parked up - put it in P
If going up and down hills etc, you can pick the gear, operation of this feature varies between models, please consult your manual for further information.
It may need to be serviced at regular intervals, you can check with your mechanic as he may know, or consult the vehicle documentation or even contact the manufacturer.
Errrr , when you park up, apply footbrake, put it in N, apply handbrake, release footbrake, allow car to "settle", then select P, otherwise you'll leave the transmission locked up ...... which isn't good for it, (on a torque converter autobox).To reverse - Put it in R
When parked up - put it in P
If going up and down hills etc, you can pick the gear, operation of this feature varies between models, please consult your manual for further information.
It may need to be serviced at regular intervals, you can check with your mechanic as he may know, or consult the vehicle documentation or even contact the manufacturer.
Nigel Worc's said:
Errrr , when you park up, apply footbrake, put it in N, apply handbrake, release footbrake, allow car to "settle", then select P, otherwise you'll leave the transmission locked up ...... which isn't good for it, (on a torque converter autobox).
Meh, I've never used the handbrake in any of the automatics I've owned.Nigel Worc's said:
And the above answers are the "rub" op.
I have a ZF autobox in my BMW, and I'm told, by both the main dealer and ZF, that if I leave my car idling in either N or P, I will cause it to overheat !
Some autoboxes, (mine is one), are sealed for life, and never need servicing, you can't even check the oil level on mine.
Please check on your specific box.
Really? Even BMW do a servicing kit for an auto box, best practice is every 70k or so.I have a ZF autobox in my BMW, and I'm told, by both the main dealer and ZF, that if I leave my car idling in either N or P, I will cause it to overheat !
Some autoboxes, (mine is one), are sealed for life, and never need servicing, you can't even check the oil level on mine.
Please check on your specific box.
Nigel Worc's said:
Errrr , when you park up, apply footbrake, put it in N, apply handbrake, release footbrake, allow car to "settle", then select P, otherwise you'll leave the transmission locked up ...... which isn't good for it, (on a torque converter autobox).
Why's that then? What's it doing? - I'm not being argumentative by the way, that's just different to what I've heard.Liquid Tuna said:
Why's that then? What's it doing? - I'm not being argumentative by the way, that's just different to what I've heard.
When parking the car without a handbrake, the drivetrain will be resting on the prawl, stopping it from moving.
If you use the handbrake, the car will be held stationary using the handbrake.
Liquid Tuna said:
Nigel Worc's said:
Errrr , when you park up, apply footbrake, put it in N, apply handbrake, release footbrake, allow car to "settle", then select P, otherwise you'll leave the transmission locked up ...... which isn't good for it, (on a torque converter autobox).
Why's that then? What's it doing? - I'm not being argumentative by the way, that's just different to what I've heard.surveyor said:
redtwin said:
Nigel Worc's said:
Some autoboxes, (mine is one), are sealed for life, and never need servicing
Did you get that from ZF themselves?.Regarding locking the transmission, it is true on mine, if I go straight from D to P, when I next drive the car, you get a thud/bang as you move the selector from P to D or R, and ZF told me not to do that, and to use the sequence I've quoted !
And the short life "sealed for life", at the moment on mine is 13 years 167,000 miles (I've only had the car for two and a half years, and have taken it from 81,000 to its present 166,000)!
They are all very different, my wife has a smart car, that one has a centrifugal clutch, The BMW M5 is a manual box with an electronic/electric clutch, etc etc etc, there are a miriad of them, which is why the OP should get very specific advice on his actual autobox.
Nigel Worc's said:
Yes the information I have regarding mine is from ZF themselves (I do some work at their factory in Nottingham).
I would say that was a direct source though somewhat puzzling that ZF themselves do transmission fluid changes at their own service centres.http://youtu.be/Pyp9DHPKfHo
To be fair though, it was a German service centre and not a Nottingham one.
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