Automatic Cars - Neutral or Drive at Traffic Lights?

[LowEndTorque]

What are the best practices when driving an Automatic Transmission Car? I ask this as when my missus was learning to drive she was instructed to keep the car in Drive with the handbrake pulled. I personally find it weird as in D mode the gear is engaged and it can move at crawling speeds without any throttle input. I observed the same in my colleague's driving of his automatic Jazz.

I know in manual cars we are taught to keep in first, clutch pedal in and handbrake (from test perspective at least). I slot it in Neutral with handbrake when the lights have just turned Red. Would it not be normal in Auto cars to put them in Neutral and foot on brake or handbrake engaged? I find it odd to keep it in Drive and adding the handbrake, which in my understanding is working against the car's logic to move.

Appreciate your inputs.

 

[NoNameNoNumber]

I drop it into P

 

[Sinbad2000]

I just keep it in drive with foot on the brake. I guess it also depends what kind of auto box it is. For example, the VW DSGs will keep the clutch disengaged while your foot's on the brake and the car is stationary, but if you pull up the handbrake and release the foot brake, it engages the clutch and tries to creep forward which I would imagine could cause some wear?

That being said, while learning to drive, do exactly what the instructor/examiner wants you to do.

 

[Armageus]

Not sure why you'd bother with Neutral in an automatic, may as well put it in Park surely?

Personally on the few occasions I've driven an auto, it's been just put foot on brake. If there's an extended wait, then put on handbrake and put it in Park.

 

[Conscript]

What are the best practices when driving an Automatic Transmission Car? I ask this as when my missus was learning to drive she was instructed to keep the car in Drive with the handbrake pulled. I personally find it weird as in D mode the gear is engaged and it can move at crawling speeds without any throttle input. I observed the same in my colleague's driving of his automatic Jazz.

Pretty sure that's what most user manuals stipulate you should do as well. I do it, but I always feel a little odd, because....

I know in manual cars we are taught to keep in first, clutch pedal in and handbrake (from test perspective at least). I slot it in Neutral with handbrake when the lights have just turned Red. Would it not be normal in Auto cars to put them in Neutral and foot on brake or handbrake engaged? I find it odd to keep it in Drive and adding the handbrake, which in my understanding is working against the car's logic to move.

...I was taught the opposite; that in a manual you should put the car in neutral and apply the handbrake unless you know you're going to be moving off imminently. Like you, it makes sense so that there's no risk of the car moving forward under it's own power if you get knocked from behind and your foot slips off the brake, etc.

It's also annoying because in our car, the stop/start functionality (which I like) is activated only when you have the car in drive and your foot on the brake. The engine shuts off, but if you anticipate a long wait and put it into park, it restarts :/

 

[Finglonga]

Leave it in drive, the car has autohold so no need to keep foot on the brake, as soon as the lights change press the go pedal.

 

[sovietspybob]

I'd just leave it in drive with foot on brake, only go into P if you're sitting for a decent amount of time.

As for a manual i'd always put it in neutral if sitting for more than a couple of seconds, you're clutch release bearing has a pretty hard time if you sit with your clutch in for ages.

 

[JonRGV250]

Not sure why you'd bother with Neutral in an automatic, may as well put it in Park surely?

Indeed, and with certain hybrids it’ll kill the aux battery if left in neutral for too long.

 

[tom_e]

Leave it in drive, foot on the brake. Means I don't need to change back to drive and lose precious seconds during the traffic light GP

 

[Bluecube]

I just use Autohold so brake then pop my foot over to the accelerator for lightening fast take off to 20mph

 

[Glanza]

Leave it in drive, foot on brake until auto hold comes on, when I bought it dealer said never use neutral unless it's broken down or your using the auto park feature that tells you to put it in neutral.

 

[pepp77]

In Drive, foot on brake pedal so stop start kicks in and auto hold also does.

 

[squerble]

Stays in drive - foot off the accelerator to stop, car engages autohold brakes automatically.

 

[Resident]

Mrs has an older Auto (PowerShift) and I knock it into N if I know I'm gonna be stood a while. If I don't the car is pulling against the handbrake. Only takes a fraction of a second to knock it back in D on the way to releasing the handbrake & N > D doesn't require me to press the footbrake first.

Not sure why you'd bother with Neutral in an automatic, may as well put it in Park surely?

Personally on the few occasions I've driven an auto, it's been just put foot on brake. If there's an extended wait, then put on handbrake and put it in Park.

At least in every auto I've driven (excluding buses) The selector sequence is PRND.

N is one notch away, P is 3 and using N doesn't travel through R first, illuminating the reverse lights briefly and making the person behind have a panic.

 

[agw_01]

Not sure why you'd bother with Neutral in an automatic, may as well put it in Park surely?

Until you get rear ended at the lights and now the parking pawl is just rattling around inside the gearbox after being snapped off.

I drive an auto similarly to how I drive a manual. Keep it in D with the footbrake if I know I'll be setting off shortly. Otherwise into neutral with either the footbrake (if traffic is still approaching from behind) or the handbrake.

 

[Yaayuh!]

Keep it in drive, foot on brake. If you have brake hold then let that engage. That's it and what most if not all manuals will tell you too.

Never put in park at lights, that's just asking for much more expensive rear-ender.

 

[iamdjdz]

Drive with foot on brake until the auto-hold kicks in then foot off brake so I'm not dazzling the person behind. Auto-hold is king, makes stopping so much easier although it can be annoying when moving very slowly whilst parking, this annoys my wife more than me.

 

[dlockers]

Depends on the car --- foot on brake; mercedes have autohold for decades now.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

Rule 1 - Drive is for driving and Park is for parking.

Rule 2 - Neutral is what you select when your vehicle is being winched onto a flat bed truck because you didn’t follow Rule 1.

 

[LowEndTorque]

Thanks for the replies guys..
I will try the Drive mode with foot on brake until Auto hold kicks in and see what happens when I take my foot off the brake pedal. Obviously will be covering the brake in case the car moves.