Driving automatic - few questions

UnworthyBean · 5 Feb 2019 at 21:44

Going to be driving an automatic van for work tomorrow, Having never drove an automatic I have a few questions which might sound daft but wanted to check.

Stalling - I'm guessing it's practically impossible to stall an automatic? For example when setting off, if I just lift off the brake pedal it'll just get up to crawl speed with no problem, I don't have to ease the brake up like I would a clutch?

Hill starts - come to a stop. Handbrake applied, foot off brake and onto accelerator, take off handbrake, correct? Me having it in drive without the footbrake is fine in this scenario?

Uther · 5 Feb 2019 at 21:55

Pretty much. Makes driving so much easier. Just watch you don't slam the brakes on by accident when slowing down thinking it's the clutch pedal...

Dr Who · 6 Feb 2019 at 01:24

Uther said:
Pretty much. Makes driving so much easier. Just watch you don't slam the brakes on by accident when slowing down thinking it's the clutch pedal...

I refuse to believe anyone who has switched from manual to auto hasn't done this once

Amp34 · 6 Feb 2019 at 02:06

Depending on the vehicle you may not even need a handbrake. The transmission stops it rolling back. I’ve used my handbrake* about half a dozen times in the last year or so, and that was when I was parking on a steep hill!

Biggest thing to think about is that it may crawl forward when you lift your foot off the brake, before you put it on the accelerator.

*actually foot brake but does the same thing.

Roland Butter · 6 Feb 2019 at 02:30

Dispense with your left leg completely [ cutting it off is a rash move and not advisable ] unless you have a foot operated handbrake that is.

Use your right trotter for the go and stop. Simples.

Leave it in P when you park obviously, and don't keep your foot on the brake and leave it in D when idling
for any more than a minute or so, it wears out your friction bands and warps the brake discs .

Rroff · 6 Feb 2019 at 03:40

Dr Who said:
I refuse to believe anyone who has switched from manual to auto hasn't done this once

I haven't done it once so far though to be fair I spent many hours playing racing games using a wheel without clutch while driving a manual. Even so the instinct to use the clutch kicked in strong hah the first couple of drives.

I've not so far needed the handbrake on a hill start with my truck - was kind of unnerving the first time before I knew how it would respond. Not sure how true that is across all automatics though.

Uther · 6 Feb 2019 at 05:21

My last two cars have had an automatic 'handbrake' which makes things even easier.

Rroff · 6 Feb 2019 at 05:48

Uther said:
My last two cars have had an automatic 'handbrake' which makes things even easier.

My dad has an automatic parking brake on his - if he uses or moves mine I have to check he has put the handbrake on LOL.

Scania · 6 Feb 2019 at 06:52

Amp34 said:
Depending on the vehicle you may not even need a handbrake. The transmission stops it rolling back. I’ve used my handbrake* about half a dozen times in the last year or so, and that was when I was parking on a steep hill!

Biggest thing to think about is that it may crawl forward when you lift your foot off the brake, before you put it on the accelerator.

*actually foot brake but does the same thing.

A torque converter automatic will hold on a hill, an automatic manual box (which some automatics actually are) will not.

Kenai · 6 Feb 2019 at 08:00

Scania said:
A torque converter automatic will hold on a hill, an automatic manual box (which some automatics actually are) will not.

Depends on the car, many will have something like hold assist or hill assist which keeps the brake applied for a couple of seconds to prevent roll back as you move from brakes to throttle.

Relentless81 · 6 Feb 2019 at 08:03

Roland Butter said:
Dispense with your left leg completely [ cutting it off is a rash move and not advisable ]

Leave it in P when you park obviously, and don't keep your foot on the brake and leave it in D when idling
for any more than a minute or so, it wears out your friction bands and warps the brake discs .

Is this really a thing or is one of those used to be a thing years ago but not applicable on modern car type things?

I can't see many people who drive auto constantly changing to P when sat in traffic, genuine question as I want an auto next

Firestar_3x · 6 Feb 2019 at 08:05

Never use your left leg, unless you want to go through the windscreen that is!

pioneer2000 · 6 Feb 2019 at 08:12

Firestar_3x said:
Never use your left leg, unless you want to go through the windscreen that is!

Ha, yes I struggle with that as well! Odd how uncoordinated / heavy footed your left foot can be!

UnworthyBean · 6 Feb 2019 at 08:13

Advice noted, cheers all. Sounds easy enough.

I've accidentally left foot braked once or twice when I've been wearing boots in my car and that was fun. At least I know what my steering wheel tastes like!

Rannoch · 6 Feb 2019 at 08:13

As said

Never use left leg. Ever lol

Rroff · 6 Feb 2019 at 08:15

Relentless81 said:
Is this really a thing or is one of those used to be a thing years ago but not applicable on modern car type things?

I can't see many people who drive auto constantly changing to P when sat in traffic, genuine question as I want an auto next

The manual for my truck advises putting it into N (not P) if sat in traffic but is less dire about the long term effects - it does increase strain on the components though.

EDIT: Tell a lie it does recommend P

"Shift into the P (Park) position and apply the parking brake when at a standstill for longer than a short waiting period"

EDIT2: Reading up on it a bit it seems the problem is if you've been driving hard (depending on the systems the car uses) and/or driving on or like on a track then the brakes can warm up and then deform if you sit there holding it on the brakes - for normal driving it is designed to be within long term tolerances and less of an issue.

DereksDontRun · 6 Feb 2019 at 08:27

Relentless81 said:
Is this really a thing or is one of those used to be a thing years ago but not applicable on modern car type things?

I can't see many people who drive auto constantly changing to P when sat in traffic, genuine question as I want an auto next

it depends on the car/gearbox (torque converter vs cvt?). You do see some people change to park at lights tho - sometimes given away by a flash of reverse light.

A workmate's merc - sit at the lights and push the brake pedal and it effectively engages an electronic handbrake. Can take feet off pedals and the car doesn't move - just accelerate to set off.

by my 1 series auto (ZF8 gearbox) - I need to keep pressing the brake pedal. I can feel the drive is disengaged, so I don't think it's bad keeping my foot there (assuming I've not got the brake discs red hot and don't mind blinding the poor mx5 behind me). As soon as I let go of the brake pedal the car starts to roll forwards. If I want to stop shining my brake lights, or take my foot off the pedal and stay still, I need to engage park. Weirdly the handbrake is bad, as I can feel the drive engaged and the car wanting to crawl forwards, but the handbrake is pulling against it - so I don't use the handbrake when stopping like I would a manual.

Haggisman · 6 Feb 2019 at 08:27

Repeat after me, "the handbrake is not the gear stick"

grudas · 6 Feb 2019 at 08:30

Relentless81 said:
Is this really a thing or is one of those used to be a thing years ago but not applicable on modern car type things?

I can't see many people who drive auto constantly changing to P when sat in traffic, genuine question as I want an auto next

never put in P unless I PARK. Just have to keep foot on the brake to stop it from moving.

I'd have to go p->d-p->.... a million times when in traffic which would make the auto a pointless thing as its most useful in traffic not having to faf around with clutch.

Rroff · 6 Feb 2019 at 08:32

grudas said:
never put in P unless I PARK. Just have to keep foot on the brake to stop it from moving.

I'd have to go p->d-p->.... a million times when in traffic which would make the auto a pointless thing as its most useful in traffic not having to faf around with clutch.

This is one aspect I need to get used to/work out how I'm going to approach it - had an auto pickup for the last few weeks previously only driven manual. Currently I'm mostly just sitting on the brake unless it looks like a very long wait.