NEVER do THIS to your Automatic Transmission Car | The Car Care Nut

**Dr.Kamiya** · November 26th, 2024 05:08 PM

tl;dw:

A Toyota Master Diagnostic Technician shares 7 Things you should never do to an automatic transmission.

Folks save your expensive transmission. Never do this to your automatic transmission!

In this video I will go over 7 things you should. never do to an automatic transmission.

First Protect the parking pawl! The parking pawl is a small metal part inside the transmission that locks it when you're in park. Slamming your car into park before coming to a complete stop or letting the weight of the car rest on it is a sure way of risking damage to the parking pawl.

Third Warm up your transmission before take off. Wait WHAT? Most people warm up their engine but in reality modern engines don't need much warming up. It's your transmission that needs a little bit of warm up to get going well.

Fourth Don't use your transmission as a brake! Downshifting intentionally to slow down the car puts extra load on the transmission. Most people do this to save their brakes which cost a fraction of what the transmission costs.

Fifth In snow driving if you get stuck, Don't just rev up the engine and let the wheels spin. This puts a tremendous load on your transmission.

Sixth Protect your Shifter! Accidents happen where we spill things over the shifter, But don't just leave it be. Clean the shifter and dry it up inside to prevent further issues.

Last but not least Don't put your car in neutral in short stops like traffic lights.

Watchu guys think?
There's a few items here that it turns out I'm not careful enough about, like putting it in park too quickly when in a hurry, or putting it in neutral during short stops (didn't know this causes engagement/disengagement of the clutch that causes wear).

**Dr.Kamiya** · November 26th, 2024 05:23 PM

*Mods: Sorry if I posted this in the wrong section. Just realized The Workshop / Transmission Talk will be a better fit.

**Motortrend** · November 26th, 2024 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by Dr.Kamiya

tl;dw:

Watchu guys think?
There's a few items here that it turns out I'm not careful enough about, like putting it in park too quickly when in a hurry, or putting it in neutral during short stops (didn't know this causes engagement/disengagement of the clutch that causes wear).

Some stoplights here take 90 seconds to turn green. I usually put it to neutral and put on the hand brake while waiting. I'm not going to leave it in D and step on the brake for that long.

**dr. d** · November 26th, 2024 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Motortrend

Some stoplights here take 90 seconds to turn green. I usually put it to neutral and put on the hand brake while waiting. I'm not going to leave it in D and step on the brake for that long.

in my opinion, keeping the AT on D, and stepping on the brakes, while waiting for the red to turn green, is potentially dangerous.
"isang langaw lang yan sa loob nang kotse, can make the driver lose concentration and release the brake pedal..."

an online mechanic's program in youtube recommends D + footbrake, however...

**Motortrend** · November 26th, 2024 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by dr. d

in my opinion, keeping the AT on D, and stepping on the brakes, while waiting for the red to turn green, is potentially dangerous.
"isang langaw lang yan sa loob nang kotse, can make the driver lose concentration and release the brake pedal..."

an online mechanic's program in youtube recommends D + footbrake, however...

Yes, that too.

**baludoy** · November 26th, 2024 08:05 PM

coincidentally, i also watched this vid earlier today.

i guess the algorithms of every tsikoteer sort of mirrors each other.

**carxynogen** · November 26th, 2024 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by dr. d

in my opinion, keeping the AT on D, and stepping on the brakes, while waiting for the red to turn green, is potentially dangerous.
"isang langaw lang yan sa loob nang kotse, can make the driver lose concentration and release the brake pedal..."

an online mechanic's program in youtube recommends D + footbrake, however...

That's the purpose of auto-hold feature in some vehicles na naka EPB.
I am always using the auto-hold feature.
If sa traditional hand-brake naman, no choice but to switch to P (switch to N+handbrake before going to P) if mataas pa time ng stop signal for safety reason.

If sa N daw kase, umiikot pa yung gear ng transmission mo na naka freewheel rotation.
Kaya daw not recommended to switch to N if long stop.
Mas better pa raw naka D dahil naka lock yung gear so hindi siya moving as long as nakatapak sa brake/EPB.

**Walter** · November 27th, 2024 09:11 AM

Use P only when parking ... not a smart idea to use when at a stop light ... there's a reason it's labeled as P = Park ...

**Verbl Kint** · November 27th, 2024 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Walter

Use P only when parking ... not a smart idea to use when at a stop light ... there's a reason it's labeled as P = Park ...

I wonder how much force a parking pawl can take when you get bumped from behind at a traffic light.

**carxynogen** · November 27th, 2024 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Walter

Use P only when parking ... not a smart idea to use when at a stop light ... there's a reason it's labeled as P = Park ...

That's why I shift to N first and engage handbrake before going to Park.
So that all the loads are not in the P but on the handbrake.
2-3 mins sa stoplight, medyo ngalay na tapak brake.

I am still contemplating to shift to N, after oj88's explanation make sense.