I drive a 2003 Jeep Wrangler (automatic) and when my father drives it, he INSISTS on shifting to neutral at a red light. Is that hurting my transmission and does it hurt it when he does it at a rolling stop? I try to get him to stop but NO LUCK! He says he's letting my breaks cool off. That just sounds silly to me. Is there any truth in that? But then again, what do I know?
2006-08-02 21:31:36 · 13 answers · asked by lil grin 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
LOL...Ok, first thing is the emergency break IS A BRAKE also, so definately DO NOT use it at a red light! I mean it will do the same thing as the front brake does only concentrated on the rear brakes. The second thing is that it takes more effort and time to disengage it then the footbrake. You are taking a very good chance of 1. possibly causing an accident in case you suddenly have to move, 2. Causing an accident because if you are rearended by any chance then you will SLAM into the car in front of you quite easily due to no resistance from the brakes. The transmission in your Jeep (or any vehicle) is plenty strong enough AND BUILT to withstand the mild tension caused by the NORMAL idling speed of a vehicle which should be between 500 to 1200 RPM's. If you talk to any transmission mechanic, he will tell you the same thing (after he quits laughing). He will also tell you that the opoosite is true, being that it is the change from disengaging the transmission to engaging it that actually will cause more wear. In other words, the force caused by shifting from neutral to drive (or reverse) is worse than sitting there with the brake on. My Dad IS a transmission mechanic, and he agreed completely with me (after he quit laughing). I think your Dad means well, but unfortunaely he is not correct. As long as you are not reving your engine up to high rpm's while the brakes are engaged or what some might call "brake torquing", then you will be just fine and your tranny and brakes will have a nice long happy life together, the brakes being the first to eventually wear out. I know this is a little wordy, but I like to be thorough. Good luck with Dad!
2006-08-03 00:30:43 · answer #1 · answered by dooder 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Interesting question.
An automatic transmission wouldn't be bothered by you holding down the break pedal, in fact its a little silly and overly dramatic to put it in neutral every single time you get stopped at a light. Next time your dad tells you he is letting the breaks cool off, tell him that the only time that breaks get hot is when your applying them while the car is moving (friction you know) then call him an old timer, that always made my dad happy :P
2006-08-03 04:39:01 · answer #2 · answered by zippo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
your father is actually correct. putting the transmission in neutral disengages the engine from the transmission, so it's basically letting the transmission move freely. there is no contact between the engine and the tranmission, so there is no grinding or friction on the gears. every time you push down the clutch to change gears, you're esseentially putting the transmission in neutral.
by putting the gear in neutral, the need to hold the clutch down is gone, and the car can sit motionless without stalling the engine. that way, you can release the brake and allow the brake pads to cool down before moving again.
in reality, the brakes dont need that much attention, and they will work fine in any case, but it seems like your father has your car's best interests in mind.
2006-08-03 04:36:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you car is stopped for too long, put the transmission in neutral or park to help with the cooling. Too long in drive without moving will heat the oil in the transmission faster, and on some cars it can and will overheat the transmission oil, and then oil comes out of the vent.
2006-08-03 04:46:36 · answer #4 · answered by kayef57 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Leave it in drive. Putting the vehicle in neutral at a red light opens you up for mistakes.....like throwing it in reverse when you take off, or pressing on the gas before shifting which will make you "squeal a tire" when you take off (possibly resulting in a traffic ticket)....etc. Just leave it in drive, your brakes will be fine.
2006-08-03 04:39:29 · answer #5 · answered by awarriorandapoet 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dads right. If your brakes are hot and you need to hold the car on the foot brake then the disc under the pads gets very hot and can buckle or bake the bads, save the aggravation, put it in N at a rest, with the handbrake on and foot off the brake
2006-08-03 04:51:35 · answer #6 · answered by Nimbus 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No your father is not hurting the transmission and it doesn't to leave it in drive when completely stopped.
cooling the brakes ... they only get hot when applied to the moving wheels maybe pops just don't like to keep his foot on the brake... reaper out......
2006-08-03 04:41:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
dont put it in nuetral. there's no point. it's only more work for u. my dad and 3 uncles r mechanics they never advice or put the shift on nuetral. it does kinda hurt ur transmission. but not a whole lot to make a difference.
2006-08-03 04:37:16 · answer #8 · answered by crazylilangel_91 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
leave it in drive. it allows you move out of the way if an emergency vehicle comes by. keeping it in drive actually helps the brakes by slowing the car down so that your brakes don't have to do all the work. (weird dad)
2006-08-03 04:37:05 · answer #9 · answered by bossdman 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would put it in neutral. Sure helps the transmission.
2006-08-03 04:36:21 · answer #10 · answered by Indian 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋