Stupid question alert!

[Rich]

I have never owned or driven an auto and just want to clarify how to use them properly.

 

I believe you need to have it in park (P), apply the foot brake and then start the car...change it to drive (D) or reverse ( R), release the foot brake and the car will start moving. Accelerate/brake as normal and put the car in neutral with the handbrake on when stopping at lights or the side of the road etc. You only need park when you're going to start/turn off the car?

 

Do you still use only your right foot for both the pedals or is the left used for braking or is it just a matter of preference?

 

Also I've noticed you tend to get a 1st and 2nd gear on them, when would you use these?

 

When we have snow or ice on the road should they be driven any differently?

 

Cheers

[Sagitar]

I have never owned or driven an auto and just want to clarify how to use them properly.

 

I believe you need to have it in park (P), apply the foot brake and then start the car...change it to drive (D) or reverse ( R), release the foot brake and the car will start moving. Accelerate/brake as normal and put the car in neutral with the handbrake on when stopping at lights or the side of the road etc. You only need park when you're going to start/turn off the car?

 

Do you still use only your right foot for both the pedals or is the left used for braking or is it just a matter of preference?

 

Also I've noticed you tend to get a 1st and 2nd gear on them, when would you use these?

 

When we have snow or ice on the road should they be driven any differently?

 

Cheers

 

You have the generality right, but there are variations from model to model and you need to check the handbook for the niceties. The intermediate gear positions will generally be needed to give braking when going downhill, or maybe to hold a gear when starting on snow etc. Some boxes have an engine braking position acquired from a button on the end of the gear change lever. Some have option switches that enable the driver to vary the point (i.e. the engine revolutions) at which the gearbox changes up or down. Some have a "kickdown" facility, where flooring the accelerator pedal causes the gearbox to change down to give greater acceleration. Some have paddle shifts; some have no hand-brake, but just a foot operated parking brake; some have continuously variable transmissions; some have routines to lock the footbrake momentarily to assist with steep-hill starts etc etc

 

Behaviour on snow is generally a bit more difficult than with a manual box, but I would say that there are huge differences between individual autos. e.g. FWD or RWD or 4WD? Whether the car has limited a limited slip differential and whether it can be locked in an intermediate gear. Having the right tyres on is perhaps the most important thing, always supposing that the driver is reasonably competent . . . .

 

There are some interesting arguments about whether to use one foot or two. I prefer to use my right foot for brake and accelerator, because I like to maintain my manual gearbox skills. However, lots of the "runaway" accidents in automatics are caused when the driver mistakenly depresses the accelerator thinking that it is the brake. I think this may be a problem that increases with age as motor-sensory skills deteriorate. There is an argument that such mistakes are less likely if the left foot is used for the brake and the right foot for the accelerator. I have tried it briefly and couldn't get on with it. Habits of a lifetime I suppose.

[Mark H.]

I'd leave it in drive at the lights rather than put it in neutral unless the manual specifically states it.

 

Also most will only allow you to start the engine in p or n so if the car wont start check you have it in the correct place.

 

You will have to train yourself if you plan to use the left foot for braking, you'll likely smack the windscreen if you first try doing it at any kind of speed without practise.

 

The lower gears are usually used for engine braking downhill with a trailer for example. Also for fast starts at the lights . Also you may prefer the feel of the lower gears as more connected when driving as in drive the car will often go to the highest number gear it can as quickly as it can if not much throttle hence why they are known as slush boxes as they really feel held back and lethargic so a quick gear drop can make a huge difference to the feel and the directness of the throttle pedal.

 

In queues the manual says you should put it in 2, i imagine to stop the TC slipping too much from the higher gears with all that torque on tap. My Porsche only has D 3 2 but no 1. It seems if you are still when you select 2 it will start in first gear and hold it even at high rpms in first but if you select 2 while moving it drops to 2nd gear and holds it.

 

Auto's accelerate very much on how much pressure you apply as well as how fast you apply it. You could slowly accelerate in 4th and have your foot to the floor if done slowly, or you could have dropped into 2nd and be flying off if you put your foot down very quickly. It will take some time to get used to it.

[andyelcomb]

Sagitar & Mark are both quite right, but don't start to worry about all the variations they've mentioned - just remember that an auto is just so very easy. Its like driving a gearless go-kart - select D, press the throttle and go, press the brake to slow / stop. That's all there is to it.

 

That's how most Americans get about - they can't cope with manual gears as it means they can't hold their burger / Bud / gun in one hand while the other sloppily waves the steering wheel about... If they can do it then so can you!

[liner33]

I never used the handbrake with my E class , it didnt have one just a parking brake you pushed down with your foot and released with a catch on the dash , rarely even used that.

 

Park will lock the transmission the car wont go anywhere, its simply drive for going forwards and reverse for going backwards I rarely used neutral either only really for pushing it but be advised you cant tow an auto for very far as the gearbox will overheat , you need to remove the prop shaft on a RWD guess you are stuffed on FWD cars and would need to lift the wheels off the ground

 

You dont use your left foot for braking there is no need

[Rich]

Wow reads like a mission...manual sounds easier!!

 

When using 1st and 2nd gears do you need to be at a certain rpm to change? It does sound like these won't really need to be used though, can't you just use the foot brake when going downhill? I had better make sure the manual comes with whatever car we get though.

 

I doubt the missus will want to drive mine after having an auto but I'll probably drive both, hopefully it won't get too confusing!

 

That's how most Americans get about - they can't cope with manual gears as it means they can't hold their burger / Bud / gun in one hand while the other sloppily waves the steering wheel about... If they can do it then so can you!

 

[Sagitar]

Wow reads like a mission...manual sounds easier!!

 

Not really. You'll quickly learn the arrangements for the particular vehicle and most of the time it is just a question of accelerator to go and brake to stop.

 

When using 1st and 2nd gears do you need to be at a certain rpm to change? It does sound like these won't really need to be used though, can't you just use the foot brake when going downhill? I had better make sure the manual comes with whatever car we get though.

 

Modern auto boxes use electronics and will not let you engage a gear that is too low for the current road speed. My current car doesn't work that way, but the Lexus that I had before it had a six speed auto box and it would just beep at you if you tried to engage a gear that was too low. You can of course use the brake, but with exactly the same strictures as apply to a manual car i.e. the brakes over-heat and lose effectiveness if you apply them for too long. You have to remember that with an auto box in top gear you get pretty much no engine braking at all, so just taking your foot off the accelerator will not of itself cause the car to slow.

[parthiban]

It's simpler than that as many have said, I never use neutral on my car ever. When you stop temporarily, keep it in D and foot on the brakes. When you stop for a longer period, put it in P.

 

The 1 and 2 and stuff are for when you want the gearbox to be limited to those gears, 1 obviously only uses 1st, 2 uses 1st and 2nd, etc - it's for going up hills and things, or perhaps even overtaking.

 

Use my right foot for both pedals, only using the left on the brakes if I want to make a quick getaway at the lights

 

And no need to worry about rev limits and such, it's already programmed in, gearbox will shift when it's supposed to.

 

 

 

There really is nothing to think about at all, and don't bother reading any manuals. To drive stick it in D and press the accelerator. To park stick it in P. Simples

[SMARTLY]

There really is nothing to think about at all, and don't bother reading any manuals. To drive stick it in D and press the accelerator. To park stick it in P. Simples

 

Spot on, that's how to use it, especially on a test drive. One foot for revs and brake. Remember the engine doesn't brake the car when you take foot off revs so you need to brake a bit more often ( going down hill ). The thing to look out for is a smooth gear change with the auto box, any sign of a hesitation or even a slip like a clutch slip and walk away and try another one. Auto boxes to repair will cost more than the car you are buying.

[Rich]

The 1 and 2 and stuff are for when you want the gearbox to be limited to those gears, 1 obviously only uses 1st, 2 uses 1st and 2nd, etc - it's for going up hills and things, or perhaps even overtaking.

 

Use my right foot for both pedals, only using the left on the brakes if I want to make a quick getaway at the lights

 

And no need to worry about rev limits and such, it's already programmed in, gearbox will shift when it's supposed to.

 

So if you wanted to overtake a tractor on a country road would you just press the loud pedal quickly so it drops to a lower gear like Mark said? Or would you change to 2nd, which I'd imagine will allow the car to reach a set speed quicker and then change to drive to speed up? Or just use it in 2nd for when you hit a very steep hill, which we do have around here.

 

I get the gist of it though, stick it in D and away you go!

 

I will remember the trick for pulling away at the lights!

[parthiban]

So if you wanted to overtake a tractor on a country road would you just press the loud pedal quickly so it drops to a lower gear like Mark said? Or would you change to 2nd, which I'd imagine will allow the car to reach a set speed quicker and then change to drive to speed up? Or just use it in 2nd for when you hit a very steep hill, which we do have around here.

 

I get the gist of it though, stick it in D and away you go!

 

I will remember the trick for pulling away at the lights!

It's so rare that I'll use the "numbers", sometimes do it when driving enthusiastically to stay in the gear I want, and otherwise if I have passengers and want to overtake without getting high revs I'll shift down the gears and that way don't need to floor the accelerator.

 

It depends a lot on the car though as to how easy it is to do. In the Lexus which has a staggered gate and no button to press, changing gear manually isn't too hard. But in our old Renault and Audi, it had a button on the shifter and it was a straight selector making it more of a chore to actually change gear physically.

 

Mine generally sits in D - that's the whole point of an auto I guess!

[scorps]

a parking brake you pushed down with your foot and released with a catch on the dash , rarely even used that.

 

You should use it occasionally or it will more than likely sieze up.

 

Rich there's nothing to worry about its easy

[Rich]

I ain't worried Pete was just curious as to whether anything had to be specifically done.

 

Anyway I saw a mate from Essex today, he has an auto Toyota Yaris so I drove it around the car park and it was soooo easy to drive. Stick it in drive and away you go! I see what you guys mean about no engine breaking, even though I was only doing low speeds when I took me foot off it didn't really slow down so I'll have to watch that whenever I drive the car. I asked him about the 1st and 2nd gear and he said he's never used them.

[Rich]

So back on this topic now I've driven an auto. The test drive was only done locally on the car we got and another one I viewed so no more than 30-40mph. Driving the car back today I sometimes got abit of lag around 50-55mph. I was on the A40, which is 50 and when it hit this speed it sort of slowed for a second and then gave me a kick in the back and pulled away. It's also done it a couple of times at lower speeds but then other times it goes from low speed to 70mph with no issues. Only driven it for an hour so far and trying it locally and on the motorway.

 

I'm wondering if it's me and the way I push the loud peddle. Obviously I'm trying to apply constant pressure to the pedal so the speed increases quickly but smoothly. Maybe sometimes I'm pressing it too quickly or slowly, is this possible? Do I just need to find where the sweet spots are on the gear change as well? Going back to the A40 example, when I hit 50mph and tried maintaining that speed it would try and change gear so speed up, I would then slow the car and it would do it again. So maybe I need to keep to just under 50 or just over?

[SMARTLY]

Gear change on an auto should be smooth. You need to take it out on a road and do gentle acceleration from 0 to about 70, do it a number of times and it should be smooth. Repeat with hard acceleration a number of times. Then do a few runs where you try and find the speed it changes into each gear ( make a mental note of each ) then sit slightly above that spped only a couple of mph and it should sit there without changing down. Is it 3 speed auto or 4?

[Rich]

Cheers, I'll try that then, I think it's just me though. It's a 4 speed box

[Rich]

I haven't tried that test yet Steve but I think it's me as the missus has been driving it ok.

 

I was looking in the handbook last night and 3rd gear starts at 52mph so that's probably why I had the issue on the A40 with it constantly changing. So like you said I need to keep just below that.

 

I was also reading about D1, 2 and 3. They say use D3 for going downhill so you have more engine braking and you must not ride the brakes instead. The thing is D3 is used for up to 85mph so not sure what affect that would have when going downhill unless it alters the torque? This gear is also recommended for towing as well.

 

They said to use D2 for going downhill, uphill and on slippery surfaces and deep snow. I'm assuming you can change into these gears when the car is moving as it said if you use D2 and stop it won't change to D1. If you change into D1 but doing over 31mph it will change into D2 first to avoid sudden engine braking.

 

Gonna have a play with those at the weekend to see what difference it makes going up and down the steep hills around here.

[dazz33]

My Vectras an Auto Rich..all i do is

 

Press brake pedal select "D" and then go....

 

If im in long traffic queues then i select "N" neutral

 

If parking up use "P" park

 

And of course "R" reverse

 

Simples.

 

 

Ive never used 1,2,3 as its a waste of time...BUT....pressing the "S" sport button on top of my gear stick is good for excelerating fast.....

[parthiban]

Really? 3rd gear is at 50mph? That doesn't sound right, when I'm pootling around town at 35mph my IS drops into 4th, there's no way the civic will be sitting in 2nd at that speed.

 

D1, 2, and 3 just remove gears from operation - when you're in D all 4 gears are available, in D3 only 1, 2 and 3 are available and so on down to D1 when only 1st gear is available.

 

The actual operation of the box does not change, it just won't shift up beyond the number you have set it to.

[Rich]

Pretty sure it said that, I'll put the pages up tonight. I know they limited the gearing but why would they suggest using D2 or 3 for going up/downhill? The only thing I can think of is so you use engine braking rather than riding the foot brake, which it does warn about.

 

Dazz...no sport button, but hopefully it will be ok to overtake it in, just hope it doesn't hesitate!

[parthiban]

Pretty sure it said that, I'll put the pages up tonight. I know they limited the gearing but why would they suggest using D2 or 3 for going up/downhill? The only thing I can think of is so you use engine braking rather than riding the foot brake, which it does warn about.

 

Dazz...no sport button, but hopefully it will be ok to overtake it in, just hope it doesn't hesitate!

The only reason you'd use D2 or D3 in that manner is on really steep hills (up or down) - if you're going uphill on a really steep hill if the car's not that powerful it might keep having to drop down to 3rd so just holding it in third and stopping it shifting up to 4th will be better.

 

Again coming downhill you'd only use it if it's so steep that it's safer to use engine braking rather than the brakes - remember in the swiss mountains it kept saying to use engine braking because of the snow.

 

But in general on normal roads you really don't need to even think about it, just use D. Only times I use the selector myself are on the motorway sometimes to select a lower gear before trying to overtake.

[Rich]

That makes sense about not letting the box keep chanigng by selecting lower gears. I'm assuming this has been added to the handbook for drivers in other countries that have very steep hills then. I know 99% of the time it will just be left in D though.

 

What about driving in snow and on ice as I know it's more tricky in an auto, just keep it in D2 or D3 for the side roads?

[adam_r]

have you has the fun situation of using the brake as a clutch ?

 

my parents used to have an auto civic and im glad i didnt have anyone behind me when i pulled up to those traffic lights. I left some skid marks on the road

[Rich]

Nope not yet, I've decided to make my left foot redundant when driving it and stretch it right out! Bet you left skiddies in your pants as well!

[parthiban]

That makes sense about not letting the box keep chanigng by selecting lower gears. I'm assuming this has been added to the handbook for drivers in other countries that have very steep hills then. I know 99% of the time it will just be left in D though.

 

What about driving in snow and on ice as I know it's more tricky in an auto, just keep it in D2 or D3 for the side roads?

Leave it in D generally - when it's icy you want to be in a higher gear, not a lower one, if the car has a winter mode then use that as that's what it will generally do.