Automatic Transmissions: Things They Never Tell You in Driving School

Posted on: 9 April 2019

A majority of drivers today have vehicles with automatic transmission. This is no surprise considering the numerous benefits attributed to a car with automatic transmission. First, the transmission is easy to use compared to a manual transmission. Newbies don't have to struggle to coordinate their limbs as they shift gears. Secondly, automatic cars give ample time to the driver to focus on the road rather than shifting the gears. This improves the driver's ability to respond to situations on the road and manage emergencies effectively. There is more to it, though. Read this to learn about the things you never knew about automatic transmissions

Don't Engage the Gear During Fast Idle

Fast idling is an abnormally fast or aggressive rumbling of your car's engine when it is at a standstill. It is common in vehicles with carburettors. Additionally, fast idling can also be a result of faulty accelerator pumps and power circuits that prompt the engine to overwork and overheat. If you notice fast idling, refrain from shifting the automatic transmission into reverse or drive modes. It will cause an instantaneous, jarring reaction of the transmission. The action stresses the clutch plates and transmission bands, wearing them down. This will shorten the life of your transmission. 

Don't Switch Gears Before Stopping

Switching gears when the vehicle is still in motion is a common practice among many people who drive automatic. It normally happens when drivers are in a hurry. For instance, the driver reverses the car slowly then throws the car into the drive mode before the vehicle comes to a full stop. When he or she does this, there is an interference of the coupling spinning mechanism responsible for changing the vehicle's motion. The harsh charge wears down parts of the transmission, and it will only be a matter of time before the transmission comes breaks down. 

Don't Engage the Parking Brake

There is a tendency to rely on the 'park' mode of an automatic transmission without engaging the parking brake. When you put the transmission in park, you engage a parking pawl to lock the outputs shafts of the transmission. A forceful push or pull can break the pawl and cause extensive damage to your vehicle's transmission. Therefore, you must engage the parking brake (hand or foot brake) whenever you park the car to protect the parking pawl from any unexpected stress. It will bear the full force of a push or pull with little impact to your transmission.

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