Do you put the car in neutral (automatics) when at traffic lights etc?

[G11DOM]

With this car being the first automatic car I have ever owned and I have had a few different people say different things to me when I pull up at traffic lights etc that some say you should always put the car in neutral and some say ir does not matter if you leave it in drive with foot on the brake.

What is the correct way or what do you do?

 

[Brian WH]

This has been discussed before, please do a search.


See Here.Use of Handbrake

 

[Benzowner]

This has been discussed before, please do a search.


See Here.Use of Handbrake

He asked about gear box in neutral not parking brake on/off.

Personally I do both, sometimes in neutral, sometimes in D with either foot on brake or "handbrake" on.

 

[BTB 500]

If I'm going to be stopped for more than about 20-30 secs I go into neutral and put the parking brake on. Otherwise I hold it on the foot brake.

My perception is that 90% + of people hold autos on the foot brake all the time. I once bought a Ford Granada where the brake light lenses were slightly distorted and discoloured, presumably from the brake lights being on for long periods of time!

 

[fuzzer]

very rarely does the car make it out of D . I just hold it on the foot brake.

 

[gina2201]

I used to have it in D and have my foot over the brake, unless stopped for a while.

 

[guydewdney]

the manual says leave in D

just wears out the clutch packs if you keep going in and out of D - leaving in D just sloshes oil around.

 

[spitzkop]

Does no one place the lever in "P" Park? Confuses the hell out of followers and has the plus that you dont need to keep pressing the foot brake!

 

[MangoMan]

I leave it in 'D', unless I know I'm going to be stopped for a while 1min+. Then I put it in 'P' usually.

 

[Howard]

Leave it in D ...

 

[Brian WH]

He asked about gear box in neutral not parking brake on/off.

Yes but the previous thread wandered off to discuss handbrake when stopped in traffic, and gearbox in neutral.

 

[GRAV888]

I leave it in D, but don't have to press the footbrake.
My car stays stationary (unless pointing downhill, when I do use the footbrake)

 

[Laters]

Interesting little article on the rospa site on automatic gearboxes and their use.
http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/advice/driving/automatic_gearboxes.htm

 

[GRAV888]

See HERE

 

[Andyni]

Always keep the car in gear and hold on the brake.

 

[Dieselman]

Keep it in D to avoid wear to the clutches and valves.
The torque converter and oil cooler will do a great job of getting rid of any heat and prevent gearbox slippage.

Very rarely put it into P, only if stopped for a seriously long time.

 

[Chris_J]

Always leave it in Drive with brakes on, unless I'm stopped for a few mins and then I'll drop it into Park.

 

[Dryce]

Keep it in D normally. Use the SBC if on a hill.

At night and there's somebody behind me and it's going to be a while I'll put it in P and use the parking brake if there's a slope.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Another vote for D with brakes here too.

 

[prprandall51]

But staying in D is hazardous if you are shunted in the rear and failed to cover the brake fully during the impact. In the worst case, if you were at the front of a queue at traffic lights, your car could literally drive itself into the path of a high speed vehicle approaching from the right - straight into your drivers door.

Even at best case, you could need both ends of your car repaired where you might have got away with rear-end damage only.

Philip