Member Since: 19 Feb 2021
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 10
Automatic gearbox in traffic
Hi Folks
This is going to sound like a rather dumb question, but this is my first automatic, so i am slightly at a loss as to what is the best way to work the transmission when stuck in a jam, in particular when it can be a long one.
What is best?
Stay in Drive or keep flipping between N and D?
kr
28th Feb 2021 7:45 pm
kajtzu
Member Since: 11 Aug 2017
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 6575
Dunno what’s best but here is what I do when when waiting for hamburgers at McDonald’s - I put it in park. When waiting for lights to change I’m pressing the brake and the transmission is in Drive. If you’re in a jam it sounds more like McDonald’s so you know what is do.
28th Feb 2021 8:38 pm
DrRobH
Member Since: 10 Oct 2015
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 924
I often flick into neutral and use foot brakeVisitor from fullfatrr.com
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28th Feb 2021 8:57 pm
Lee Trinder
Member Since: 12 Aug 2018
Location: Henley in arden
Posts: 515
It does say in the manual for the D3 not to sit in drive for extended periods, so I just pop it in neutral if I know I’m not moving for a minute or two.
28th Feb 2021 8:57 pm
galwaygreen
Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: plymouth
Posts: 6525
put mine in nuetral at every opportunity....just think what you would do with manual box...you wuoldnt sit with you foot on the clutch for ages it would foook the clutch
ours has knob not lever,,,so easy...............in saying that we did it in the d3 all those years ago.
1st Mar 2021 1:01 am
cobby
Member Since: 05 Aug 2018
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 226
I agree with putting it into neutral if I'm going to be sat stationary for a while with the engine running.
I guess there must be some drag caused because if you select drive and leave on tick over the car will
move quite forcibly if you take your foot off the brake.
I know all the bands in the box are running in oil but does not seem quite right to me to leave it in gear
for long periods.
Just my opinion as I have nothing to base this on.
Cobby.
1st Mar 2021 12:53 pm
Davethegeo
Member Since: 01 Oct 2015
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 879
I still act as though I'm driving a manual - handbrake and neutral if I'm going to be sat for more than 20s.D1 300Tdi - gone
D2 Td5 ES (Alive remapped...mmm) - sadly gone
D4 2012 SDV6 XS - Stolen
D4 2014 SDV6 HSE - Shiny
I still act as though I'm driving a manual - handbrake and neutral if I'm going to be sat for more than 20s.
Absolutely, I don't use the foot-brake more than necessary, particularly at night, so as not to subject those drivers behind me to dazzle.
I get quite off when cars in front of me use their foot brakes for ages, particularly when dark.
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1st Mar 2021 1:24 pm
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1651
IIRC the D4 ZF 8 Speed goes into a sort of standby neutral if you stop and leave your foot on the brake pedal, so no need to keep going from D to N as the gearbox ECU does it for you. As soon as you take your foot off the brake it re-engages D and away you go
Happy to be corrected on this from more mechanical folk than me.
And totally agree ref the blinding brake lights annoyance so on that basis alone its worth a flick to neutral and EPB on.2011 D4 XS 305 MY12 - gone but not forgotten
1st Mar 2021 2:32 pm
Canburne
Member Since: 15 Jan 2013
Location: Devon
Posts: 2029
Rog you are absolutely correct as far as that is what the manual says for the D4 however as NJSS points out it is not very kind on the driver behind with all your brakes lights on!!.
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1st Mar 2021 11:48 pm
cobby
Member Since: 05 Aug 2018
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 226
If what RogB says is true about the D4 going into a standby neutral why is it if you have your foot on the brake and shift from neutral to drive the car bumps the transmission and attempts to move forward?
Well it does on the ones I've tried, maybe someone else can confirm or deny that?
As for leaving your foot on the brakes at night and blinding the driver behind, the same goes for leaving your rear fog lights on when someone is following you at night, they can obviously see you so turn them off.
2nd Mar 2021 10:52 am
Canburne
Member Since: 15 Jan 2013
Location: Devon
Posts: 2029
That is a bit strong - Roger is correct!! It goes into a sort of standby neutral so as not to damage the gearbox/TC but if you then actually change it into neutral that is a completely different matter..
"the inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings....the inherent vice of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries" Winston Churchill
2016 D4 Landmark Club Waitomo ...or is it Club Tempest????
2015 D4 HSE Aintree Green
2nd Mar 2021 11:30 am
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1651
when you stop forward motion, foot firmly on brake pedal, wait maybe 5-10 seconds, you should see/feel/hear a very slight change in revs, and this is the ''standby neutral'' engaging
when you begin to release your foot off the brake pedal you should then feel the slight rev change again and the car tries to start moving forward, which it will do once you fully release the brake pedal.
Its not an instantaneous change, as the ECU has to work out if your stopping for a very brief moment or if your stopping for a longer period in traffic.2011 D4 XS 305 MY12 - gone but not forgotten
2nd Mar 2021 11:53 am
dgarside
Member Since: 17 Jan 2010
Location: Holmfirth
Posts: 732
NJSS wrote:
Quote:
I still act as though I'm driving a manual - handbrake and neutral if I'm going to be sat for more than 20s.
Absolutely, I don't use the foot-brake more than necessary, particularly at night, so as not to subject those drivers behind me to dazzle.
I get quite off when cars in front of me use their foot brakes for ages, particularly when dark.
NJSS
Another one to agree with above, handbrake on into neutral, and generally (unless on a hill) manually take off handbrake before driving away (and I know you don't need to). In the 3+ years never had a problem with EPB and when last stripped was clean/working well.RLD CB Bracket
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2nd Mar 2021 1:31 pm
Disco4Gatt
Member Since: 19 Feb 2021
Location: Oxfordshire
Posts: 10
Thanks for the replies folks.
I like the night time consideration. I guess being on the cautious end trying to determine least wear and tear. i did read on quorum around automatic boxes in general that in neutral, the discs are not engaged and so you get slippage = wear and tear, while in D this does not happen.
I tried reaching out to ZF on twitter who kind of gave me 'whatever works for you' answer... so much for transmission engineer's perspective.. maybe it doesn't matter... just obsessing with how to take best care of me lady.
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