Does anyone else put there automatic transmission in neutral at red lights. A recent thing I have been doing and was wondering how weird it is.
I put it into neutral at stop lights when the engine is cold and doing the high idle thing. If it matters, by 1995 car still has it's original automatic transmission at 220,000 miles. And that's in Baltimore - Washington DC traffic.
If you check out driving instructions and manufacturers recommendations we always put car into neutral when stopped. Even at red lights. The creep or slight forward thrust needing brakes to be applied it engine and transmission working. Hence wear occurs and fuel gets used plus would fail driving test. Common for most folks to sit on foot rake and not bother to go to neutral. This is poor driving and incorrect method but anybody challenged on it will feel it's the best thing to do and try and justify it eg fast getaway if lights changed.
That is the price for all cars.
Many, MANY years ago when auto trans were a novelty, I had an Uncle who shifted his Hydramatic Pontiac into neutral at every stopI'm guessing because early automatics had a lot of idle creep. The transmission failed early and the dealership told him he was wearing-out whatever engages the gear by his practice.there's certainly a lot of fluid pumping-around for gear engagement - especially in those old Hydramatics. Today, you can't change gears without your foot firmly on the brakestransmissions are computer-controlled and those computers speak to the engine control emission computersseems like a waste of effort to put it in neutral - not to mention, you can't make a quick move if necessary. Also hard on universal joints, drive joints etc.
