5 habits you should avoid while driving an automatic transmission vehicle

Automatic transmission vehicles are easy to drive, but the mechanism of this kind of gearbox is complex, so the maintenance cost is high. To keep your transmission in pristine condition, check out 5 following habits you should avoid while behind an automatic transmission car’s wheel.

1. Use ‘P’ as a brake

Never shift the gear to “P” unless you want your car not to move. The locking mechanism, which is a pin called a Park Pawl, will prevent the car from running. The reason is that the Park Pawl performs as a lock in between the gears and stops them from rotating, which makes the wheels not spin. Consequently, putting your vehicle on “P” might do harm to the park mechanism.

Putting your vehicle on “P” might do harm to the park mechanism

2. Pay no attention to transmission fluid

Prevention is always better than cure. It is certain that it does not take you much time and money to do a transmission fluids checkup or change. As suggested, you should have your transmission oil checked every 5000 – 7000 km.

You should have your transmission oil checked every 5000 – 7000 km

In addition, use the right transmission oil recommended by the owner’s manual. There are separate transmission fluids for both CVT and ATF gearboxes, so choose the proper one for your car. If you fill CVT fluid in an ATF transmission car or vice versa, it would do the transmission more harm than good and even worse, you will have to replace it.

3. Shift to neutral when going downhill

Most modern automatic transmissions cut down the fuel supply of the vehicle running downhill

It is inadvisable to shift to neutral when coasting down the hill since you could not control the speed of your car while descending. Many drivers think that climbing down in neutral is a way to save fuel, but it’s not the case since most modern automatic transmissions cut down the fuel supply while the vehicle is running downhill.

4. Rev the car to launch it

An automatic gearbox comes with clutches and bands, which are easy to be worn off prematurely

This can seriously wreck the automatic transmission. An automatic gearbox comes with clutches and bands, which are easy to be worn off prematurely under excessive pressure and stress. When you rev the car to launch it, the clutches and bands are prone to slip.

5. Shift between gears while your car is in motion

If you shift the gears when the vehicle is moving, the frictional material could be damaged

Always make certain that you make a complete stop when switching gears in a vehicle equipped with an automatic gearbox. The aforesaid bands and clutches in charge of changing gears have friction material linings in them which last a lifetime. If you shift the gears when the vehicle is moving, that frictional material could be damaged due to a raft of load applied to the clutches and bands, then ruining the transmission eventually

– NaijaAuto