The process of driving a car is greatly simplified thanks to such an addition as an automatic transmission. The driver can devote more time to the road itself, and not to the process of applying a particular speed. Even standard and most simple devices support multiple driving modes. Among them is the so-called neutral.
The wheels do not receive torque from the engine if the shift lever is in the neutral position in the automatic transmission. Photo: autoassa.ru
The application of neutral gear is often carried out when the car slows down due to a traffic light. But the scenarios for using this tool have their limitations.
Many who use automatic transmissions may never use neutral at all in their entire lives. But this element is mandatory. The main purpose is to tow the car.
Information on towing rules is in the public domain - just read the official operating instructions that are attached to the vehicle.
The instructions also state that the towing distance itself should not exceed 50 kilometers in range. If you need to travel a longer distance, it is recommended to use a tow truck. Or towing technology, in which the car's front wheels are raised.
Why neutral on the machine: parking assistance
The parking lot is another place that allows the use of neutral gears. Photo: kto-chto-gde.ru
It is advised to leave parking in neutral gear only if there are problems with the operating mode. If the car is left exactly at neutral speed, then to start the engine, the pedal responsible for the brake is fully depressed.
Turning on the neutral during traffic jams and before traffic lights
Drivers have many misconceptions, one of which is precisely related to the fact that when stopping at a traffic light, you need to switch to neutral mode. Especially often those who previously drove vehicles using mechanical box.
But in this case have their own characteristics associated with management.
- When the drive mode, also referred to as D, is working, the pressure begins to build up due to the torque converter of the automatic transmission. Due to the same process, torque is transmitted in the device.
- Thanks to the mode indicated above, all parts included in the gearbox are actively lubricated.
- When the accelerator pedal has not been pressed and is not being used, the torque converter maintains its position in the "green zone". In this case, the torque converter is also covered with grease. And no more processes are carried out.
When the driver switches to neutral mode, the input and output shafts are disconnected. This means that the process of lubricating parts is also interrupted. After turning on the green traffic light, the transition to a new speed mode will become more stressful for the car, as the pressure in the system changes sharply from one level to another.
Because of this, the elements in the box move more than necessary, which negatively affects general characteristics and lead to early failure.
From the same point of view it is necessary to consider the situation when the driver is in traffic jams. During a traffic jam, there is no need to constantly change modes D and N with each other. With a completely absent traffic, it is permissible to simply temporarily turn off the engine, or switch to P mode - parking.
Engage neutral while driving
Many drivers prefer to be in the N position when the car is moving downhill. Photo: m.top54.city
It is impossible to turn on the neutral on the go, for several reasons.
- The corresponding lubrication of the working units stops when the lever moves to the neutral position. And when the car is moving, the fulfillment of this condition is necessary.
- The driver has less time and opportunities to make maneuvers. For example, if you need to go around an obstacle, the driver will not be able to increase speed.
- Another reason lies in the fact that the pressure changes in the system too abruptly. This can cause the transmission itself to fail prematurely.
So is it permissible to turn on the neutral on the move? No, this is not recommended.
If the machine is equipped with classic automatic transmissions, the motor can be used for braking. To calmly cope with the descents, it is recommended to press the O / D button, if it is available in the package. After that, the vehicle switches to the use of the third stage. And it will not be able to develop a speed of more than 80 kilometers per hour. If a speed of 120 kilometers per hour or more is constantly maintained, then this function is not carried out.
The selector is moved to position two when it comes to driving on steep descents. Then the driving speed will be limited to marks of 40-60 kilometers per hour.
The L position will be useful in several situations:
- Outside asphalt roads.
- In the presence of steep slopes with lifts.
When using the L mode, the car will never accelerate more than 10-20 kilometers. This is useful during climbs as it allows you to make the most of the vehicle's torque.
In general, cars with automatic transmissions do not like off-road. Or driving on the roads in winter time of the year. There is a high chance that the wheels will begin to slip. This leads to the fact that the parts of the automatic transmission wear out too quickly.
Do not press on the gas with full force if the car gets stuck in mud or puddles.
Mode 1 or L mode is more suitable for overcoming such obstacles. It is better to drive back a little, using the track already passed.
If the unit is not warm enough, then excessive loads are unacceptable for it. The same goes for high speeds. Smooth movement during the first couple of kilometers of the way will be useful even in the summer. At first, sharp jerks should be avoided. You need to wait until the oil warms up to the required temperature. In transmissions of other types, warming up is even slower.
In winter, for warming up, the selector is specially placed in several different positions at once in a short time. But each one needs to linger. Then the oil in the automatic transmission warms up faster and easier. You can press the brake pedal while using the "Drive" mode. It is better to drive the first kilometers, activating the winter mode of operation.
About what you should not do on an automatic transmission, you will learn from this video:
Many people think that a handbrake is not needed at all for automatic boxes gears. And drivers really rarely use this device. For some, one mode P is enough. But the rules for operating any Vehicle do hand brakes an essential element of the system. After all, sometimes it happens that automation fails. And only manual devices help to avoid situations where too much harm is done to people around and even buildings.
The handbrake is also used if the car stops for a while, and the engine continues to work. Or when the driver leaves the passenger compartment for a short time.
Outcome
The neutral gear on an automatic transmission is not just a random extra detail, it is of great importance for the car. However, it is necessary to observe some operating features in order for the gearbox to serve stably for as long as possible.
Today is the fifth video lesson of driving on an automatic transmission (automatic transmission). I propose to talk about such an important aspect as neutral gear. Like what to say about her? But it's not so simple, many drivers who drive a manual gearbox can often coast the car (neutral at speed), but is it possible with an automatic? Or here's another question, is it necessary to switch to "neutral" at a traffic light? And in general, why do we need this transmission on the machine ...
Let's start with a little definition.
Neutral gear – this is the position of the gearbox (not only) in which the engine is not transmitted to the wheels, so the car does not move when the engine is running.
Why do you need a neutral gear on the machine?
The second purpose is parking, of course, you can put the car in neutral and put it on the "handbrake", but it's not as convenient as, say, just put it on "P" parking. But from this position, the engine will start (read) However, you can do this, it is not prohibited!
How to behave at traffic lights
Also a common question is whether it is necessary to put a neutral gear at a traffic light or just press the brake pedal, remaining in the mode D - "drive" ?
The question is very, very difficult, thousands of different tips can be heard from various sources, and even from branded car services there is no definite opinion.
Let's think for ourselves. What any manual (user manual) tells us.
When the gear is in neutral, there is no connection between the input and output shafts. The output shaft is not blocked, which means that the vehicle can move (towing). Therefore, neutral gear () is mainly needed only for service transportation of the car, and then according to certain rules.
Remember the automatic (automatic transmission), this is not a mechanic at all, here the clutch principle is completely different. There is no clutch disc, and all the work is done by the torque converter. However, when the "N" (neutral) mode is on, there is simply no connection between the engine and the wheels. Our donut (torque converter) rotates, but it does not connect the wheels and the engine, because the retaining rings, or friction discs, are unclenched.
What happens when you move the lever to the "D" position - the oil pump pumps pressure into the valve body, then the solenoid opens and gives pressure under which the friction discs (first gear) are compressed. They seem to connect two shafts (from the engine and from the wheels) and the car is ready to move, release the brake pedal and go. After the electronics decides which friction discs (which gear) to close.
What happens when you get up at a traffic light and turn off "D" and go to "N". The clutches open, the solenoids close, the shafts disengage. Then you again transfer from "N" to "D" again such a complex process is repeated! I REMIND AGAIN THIS IS NOT MANUAL!
As a result, solenoids, first gear clutches wear out faster! If you turn it on once (and in a traffic jam you can go to the second one), then the pressure is stable, the clutches are always compressed. THIS IS THE RIGHT MOVEMENT!
However, there are also cases when you stand on the machine for a very long time - a traffic jam, a queue at a gas station. Then the leg will get tired and it is not very convenient to keep the car on the brake. What to do then?
When standing in a traffic jam or at a gas station for a long time, it is allowed to turn on “neutral”. And you can turn off the engine altogether, so you will also save fuel.
Overrun on the machine
The second most popular question is Can you drive in an automatic?
Who doesn’t want to go down a steep and long hill - put the car in the “N” position and roll on it until the slope allows? Plus, it saves fuel! BUT!
When coasting, it is IMPOSSIBLE to switch to “neutral” at all! Why? YES, it's very simple. Here we are rolling down the mountain, rolling, and right here the hand reaches out to switch to “N” - we switch, we open the rigid connection between the shaft to the wheels and the shaft from the engine, they begin to spin at different speeds. That is, we can spin the engine up to at least 5000, but this will not have any effect on the wheels!
Now we decided to turn on “D” at speed, that is, we need to close two shafts that spin at different frequencies, AND AT SPEED! That is, they should be stopped by friction discs, CLOSE and start working as one shaft! This is very difficult, it turns out something like a blow when the friction clutches are closed.
If you still want to coast downhill, you need to wait for the car to get up, FULLY and only then turn on "D" when the shaft has stopped.
YES, and rolls on the machine in neutral, this is not a GOOD! Remember! Repairs will then be much more expensive than you save fuel!
If you want to roll, then release the gas pedal and roll as much as the machine will allow in the “D” mode
Tried to highlight everything. important points articles in my video clip, so be sure to watch, very useful - for those who do not want to read a lot of letters!
I drove up to a traffic light - move the selector to position N! Or in R! By this you essentially gear!
I don't know what kind person first came up with this nonsense. But nonsense, as you know, tenacious. And now, on the forums, “experts” are exchanging opinions with might and main, summing up theoretical justifications for deliberate nonsense. And at the traffic lights, the cars standing in front of you now and then wink with their lights reversing, saying that the owner of the automatic transmission switched it from mode D to somewhere else. As you know, in this case, the selector usually passes through the intermediate reverse position - R.
Shame on fellow citizens. Guys, think - why engineers? So that you pull the lever at every traffic light? Or is it still in order to reduce communication with the box to a minimum, entrusting everything to automation?
It is clear that "legs grow" from mechanical boxes - there switching to neutral at stops was vital. There were, of course, clumsy people who were ready to stand for an arbitrarily long time with the clutch squeezed out, but life quickly admonished them worn out release bearings and other troubles. Yes, and there was no point in it: you still had to get under way from the first gear, and not from the fourth ...
But why mock the machine?
I could not find common sense in such an algorithm. Perhaps the only justification option is, for example, parking in front of the barrier, which threatens to drag on for 10 minutes, or even more. In this case, it is really possible to move to the P position, allowing the right leg to relax. But it’s absolutely impossible to switch to neutral: it will end badly! If on cars with mechanics, drivers are well aware that a car at the same traffic light can roll downhill, then the owners of automatic machines have long lost the habit of such tricks. If the selector is in P, then the car will not move anywhere, and if in D or R, then the foot must be on the brake. But voluntarily putting the poor fellow in neutral is some kind of refined sadism for a site of a different orientation. Or will the foot still be on the brake? Then why the whole circus? No, I don’t understand ... Neutral was invented for towing a car with an idle engine!
And if you translate the selector into R? Again - why? The box from unnecessary switching back and forth will definitely not get better. Yes, and the engine too: as a rule, the minimum speed idle move in position D above (900 vs. 700), and therefore, if necessary, quickly move off the motor will have to work tight, albeit not for long. Well, why then all the movements?
The above also applies to . By the way, let me remind you: the bible in all cases is the instruction of the car manufacturer. If there is any recommendation, then it must be followed. If not, do not complicate the life of either yourself or the car.
Just in case, I called the techies I respected - from the owner of the workshop to the professor. There was only one request: to try to find at least some plus in the traffic light mockery of the automatic gearbox. Only the professor found an "argument": they say, moving the selector from position D prolongs ... battery life! Why? But because the rear brake lights go out at the same time, and every extra ampere ruins the battery ...
Bon voyage, colleagues! And do not scoff at the technique ... However, as always, I invite everyone to speak.
Often, newcomers who have barely received their rights raise the question of whether it is possible to drive in neutral on a machine. The automatic transmission itself is very convenient: even traditionalists, albeit reluctantly, recognize some of its advantages over mechanics. But those who have traveled for a long time with the previous version of the gearbox hardly give up the habits that have become ingrained in the mind.
Rolling downhill seems so natural that the driver is trying to extrapolate his habits to the machine. And every now and then he pulls himself up, fearing to harm the unusual mechanism.
At the same time, there is hope that the established driving style is also correct in automatic transmission. Again, coasting neutral is said to provide significant fuel economy, which is always heartwarming, especially at today's prices. But if you look at the situation from another angle, the savings can turn into an unpleasant side: if the use of neutral on the road turns out to be difficult for the automatic transmission, then its repair will cost much more than winning on the saved gasoline.
Is it possible to drive in neutral on a machine is still considered a moot point. All operating manuals state that it is forbidden to move the lever to the N position while driving. Some manufacturers supplement the indication with the words "this can be very dangerous." But many drivers do this, and assure that nothing bad happens with the automatic transmission. Is it so? Experienced owners who have mastered automatic transmission for a long time argue in favor of the fact that you still need to listen to the manufacturer's recommendations.
Reason one
The lubrication system of the automatic transmission is fundamentally different from the device of its mechanical counterpart. If the manual gearbox is constantly literally bathed in oil, then the automatic transmission receives it directly from the engine. V standing car and the details are motionless; when it rolls, the parts are forced to rotate and touch. Even a schoolboy understands what happens to them in the absence of lubrication. Jamming of a dry-running box has isolated cases. However, its rapid wear among lovers of rolling in neutral is a very common thing.
Rolling fans may note that even towing in neutral is only allowed for a distance not exceeding 50 km. Moreover, in most manuals there is even an explanation, and it is connected precisely with lubrication. If the car service is located further - if you please, call a tow truck. Or get ready soon overhaul boxes.
Reason two
In many models, the resource of an automatic transmission is designed for a certain number of on / off positions N. The more often you use this mode, the faster the resource is developed. Fully automatic transmission, most likely, will not crumble, however, a certain set of its nodes will begin to fail in turn. Separately, repairs will not be too expensive, but collectively they will cost a considerable penny.
Dispelling the Myths: In terms of fuel economy, interesting measurements have been taken by a number of drivers with the assistance of on-board computer. It turned out that, rolling downhill in D mode, but with the gas pedal released, gasoline consumption is 0. But if you turn on the neutral, the fuel is still eaten up, albeit in a small amount.
It is not known if the economy works on mechanics: for some reason, the owners of cars with MCP did not conduct such experiments (or did not share their observations). But with a machine gun, it is precisely established: in addition to the risk of ruining the box, the rolling is also provided by certain fuel costs.
Additional nuances
Although it would be wrong to call them nonsense: these small details can seriously affect both the health of the car and the well-being of its riders.
Switching from mode D on mode N during the ride is painless. But the reverse action is already fraught with serious damage to the box. You have to stop for safety. And where is the point of using neutral in this case? You lose in time; besides, it is not always possible to stop.
There is a chance that the engine will suddenly stall. At the included speed it is not terrible. In neutral, the power steering is immediately turned off, and the car loses control significantly. Than it can threaten, it is not necessary to explain.
The objections that if the neutral was so dangerous, then it would be blocked when descending from the conveyor or not included in the set at all, are incorrect. N mode is required for after-sales service and the buildup of a stuck car. While driving it is useless. From the foregoing, quite definite conclusions can be drawn.
The clear answer to the question of whether it is possible to drive in neutral on an automatic is no, unless you are willing to pay for regular repairs. And if coasting is so dear to you, then why not change your car for a similar model with mechanics? It will not have to choose a different driving style and get used to the new rules, which still have to be reckoned with.
The driver who bought a car with automatic transmission for the first time always wonders if it is possible to roll in neutral on the machine? This question arises because of the long-standing habit of "fuel saving" - the transfer to the neutral position of the gearshift lever on the manual transmission during long descents, or "docks" to the place.
Device modern engines allows you to save fuel by not changing gear while driving on long descents.
Theoretically, this leads to significant fuel savings. In practice, this is debatable.
Fuel injection into the engine almost completely stops when the gas pedal is released, regardless of the position of the lever. And this is true not only for the machine, but also for mechanics.
Is it possible to drive in neutral with automatic transmission
At the same time, if the transfer to neutral for mechanics while driving is not dangerous, then for automation this action is a slow death. Of course, in the case of a single switch, nothing will happen, and switching at speed from “D” to “N” will be painless for the machine. But the reverse process can be disastrous for the whole box, if you do not follow the main rule - stop completely, and only then turn on the drive. This is due to a significant decrease in oil pressure in neutral mode. If you switch from "neutral" to "drive" while driving, a sharp increase in oil pressure can significantly damage the gearbox.
Would you think that driving in neutral on an automatic from a mountain to a complete stop is safe for the gearshift system? No, you can't think like that. Not only is switching from neutral to driver mode dangerous for the box, but the movement itself is unacceptable.
Frequent transfer to neutral and back exhausts the resource of the box.
This is the result of a device that lubricates internal elements with oil, which is different from the mechanical box. In the machine, it occurs only during movement with the included speed. That is, moving the lever to the neutral position threatens to wear parts that have to work “dry”.
The wear of most automatic transmissions is determined by the amount of shifting that is set.
What is the "N" position for?
Naturally, the question arises about the use of neutral. This mode is intended to be used while the vehicle is being towed with the engine off. It is also used during rocking a stuck car and during service.
Summing up, I would like to note that the drivers have not come to an unequivocal conclusion whether or not to drive in neutral on the machine. But the opinion of manufacturers and car service workers on this matter is the same. They unanimously argue that driving in neutral gear on an automatic transmission is fraught with serious consequences.
