One of the greatest inventions of the car industry is the automatic transmission. An automatic automobile makes it safer for drivers to drive their vehicles because it does the gear shifting for them, which makes driving with a manual gearshift a lost art in many parts of the world.
It's simply safer to have an automatic car with auto transmission. It's the favored car for professional drivers as well as people who only have basic instead of advanced driving skills. However, there are certain things you should not do with an auto transmission vehicle for the sake of your own safety.
Don't Do This with an Auto Transmission Car
- Sliding a Vehicle Down a Slope in Neutral: Whenever you attempt to slide your vehicle down a slope, you'll end up slowing your car down instead of accelerating it. This is because it cuts the oil supply. Therefore, the transmission doesn't get the right amount of lube to ensure that its operation is smooth. It also results in wear and tear as well as damage. This is the reason you shouldn't do this action.
- Revving the Engine Before Gear Switches: Whenever you rev the engine before you switch the gear, this results in the transmission receiving a massive shock that leads to more friction between its internal moving parts, which damages the engine parts. While doing so as a teenager is understandable, you'll be the one paying for the bills of your car this time around instead of your unaware parents.
- When the Car Is Rolling and You Shift Gears: It's not advisable for car owners to shift gears while the car is rolling. This isn't a life hack that allows you to save fuel. Instead, it can result in making the parts of your transmission change direction rapidly. This wears out and damages your gearbox in short order. Don't shift gears while the car is rolling; instead, stop your vehicle with your brakes then shift gears. Don't shift to park without pushing the brakes either. This damages the gearbox as well.
- Keeping Neutral at a Red Light: You can damage your vehicle by keeping in neutral at the red light. Many motorists tend to indulge in this because they believe this protects the drive line and saves fuel. However, the fuel savings are minimal at best because pushing the brakes by keeping the gearbox in drive mode also offers minimal loss. The damage manifests itself when you switch in and out of the neutral mode.
- Switching to Parking Mode Before Stopping the Car: You should completely stop your car before switching to parking mode. Not doing so will cause the locking pin to get inserted into a gear linked to the gearbox's output shaft. The wheels connect to the same shaft as well, so this can result in the breaking of the pin. Never shift to parking mode while the car is rolling.