Ce que vous devez retenir
- you’re cruising down a steep mountain road, and you decide to coast in neutral to “save gas.
- Plus, if you need to make a sudden maneuver (say, avoiding that deer that just jumped into the road), you’ve eliminated your ability to use engine power effectively.
- Some modern cars won’t even let you start unless you’re in Park (or sometimes neutral), thanks to a safety feature called the neutral safety switch.
Driving an automatic transmission car seems straightforward enough, right? Shift to Drive, press the gas, and off you go. But there’s one mistake that countless drivers make every day – even experienced ones – and it involves the seemingly innocent N position on your gear selector.
This little lever position disconnects your engine from the transmission, just like neutral does in a manual car. Sounds harmless, but the wrong use of this setting can be dangerous for your safety and expensive for your wallet.
When drivers go wrong with neutral
The problem starts when drivers shift into neutral at the wrong times. You see it everywhere: people switching to N at red lights, coasting down hills in neutral, or even selecting it before parking. These habits might feel natural (maybe you learned them from an old manual transmission), but with modern automatics, they’re doing more harm than good.
Here’s the thing – when you’re sitting at a traffic light with 30 seconds to wait, does shifting to neutral really help? Your car’s computer already optimizes fuel consumption in Drive. All that shifting back and forth just adds unnecessary wear to your transmission components.
Why neutral while moving spells trouble
Selecting neutral while your car is still rolling does something dangerous: it disables engine braking. Now you’re relying solely on your brake pads and rotors to slow down a 4,000-pound vehicle (that’s about 1,800 kg for those keeping track).
Picture this scenario: you’re cruising down a steep mountain road, and you decide to coast in neutral to “save gas.” Your brakes start working overtime. They heat up. Eventually, they might overheat completely, leading to brake fade or even failure. Not exactly the kind of savings you were looking for.
But wait, there’s more. That innocent shift from D to N while moving creates internal stress in your transmission. Do this enough times, and you’re looking at repair bills that can easily hit $3,000 to $5,000 – sometimes more for luxury vehicles.
Plus, if you need to make a sudden maneuver (say, avoiding that deer that just jumped into the road), you’ve eliminated your ability to use engine power effectively. Your car becomes less responsive when you need it most.
The fuel economy myth
Many drivers believe switching to neutral saves gas. This might have been true decades ago, but modern automatic transmissions are smart. When you’re stopped in Drive, the transmission isn’t working against the engine. Your car’s computer handles fuel management whether you’re in Drive or neutral.
The constant shifting between gears actually wastes more energy than just staying put in Drive.
The right way to use neutral
So when should you use that N position? There are actually a few legitimate scenarios:
During maintenance work when a mechanic needs to run diagnostics with the wheels stationary but the engine running. If you need to tow your vehicle (and your owner’s manual specifically says it’s okay). Some older vehicles might require neutral to start the engine under certain conditions.
That’s about it. For pretty much every other driving situation, stick with Drive or Park.
Starting and stopping the right way
Here’s another common mistake: shifting to neutral before turning off your car. Some folks think this “protects” the transmission. Actually, you should always end up in Park position when shutting down. Park locks your transmission and prevents the car from rolling.
Going from Drive to neutral to Park just adds an extra step that can create additional wear on your transmission’s internal mechanisms.
When starting your automatic car, the process is simple: verify you’re in Park, apply the brake pedal, start the engine, then shift to Drive. This sequence protects your transmission and ensures safety.
Some modern cars won’t even let you start unless you’re in Park (or sometimes neutral), thanks to a safety feature called the neutral safety switch.
The bottom line
Your automatic transmission is designed to handle the work. Let it do its job. Those computer-controlled shifts happen hundreds of times more precisely than any human could manage. The neutral position isn’t meant for casual use during normal driving.
Next time you’re tempted to shift into neutral at a red light or while coasting, remember: you’re not helping your car, your fuel economy, or your bank account. Sometimes the best action is no action at all.
Your transmission will thank you, your mechanic will see you less often, and you’ll have safer, more predictable vehicle control. And isn’t that what we all want from our daily drives?
