Driving Automatic Car

Development companies from Western European countries and North America in 90% of cases equipped cars with automatic transmission.

How to drive an automatic car?

The operation of the automatic transmission is carried out thanks to the torque transmission using a converter and planetary gears. Cars with automatic transmission do not have a clutch pedal, which greatly facilitates driving. The lower efficiency of such a system is achieved due to the fact that there is no permanent connection between the driven wheels and the engine.

Driving an automatic car tips

How to drive a car correctly? This question is asked by drivers who previously buy cars with mechanics and now cannot get used to the fact that they need to use only one leg when driving (the second is located on a special stand on the left side).

It is very dangerous to use both legs to ride such a car. Consider a situation when one foot is on the gas pedal and the other is on the brake pedal. Any obstacle appears in front of the car, what does a person do? He/she sharply presses on the brake. In this case, the inertial force is triggered, which pulls the body forward. As a result, there is a risk that the driver will press the gas pedal as well. Braking in such a situation would be very dangerous.

How to start

First of all, it will be correct to start the engine and warm it up, since it is unacceptable to start with a cold engine. At temperatures above 0 ˚С, you need to wait two minutes: during this time, the automatic transmission will enter operating mode due to the even distribution of the oil. At subzero temperatures, the engine will have to warm up longer. The engine can only be started in the N or P positions (the latter is preferred).

If the car will not start, make sure the gear is in the correct position. After warming up, you can move from a place, for which you must activate one of the driving modes: switch the lever and wait for a slight push. If you press the gas before pushing, it can result in a break.

How to brake

Learning to drive a car properly after mechanics is not easy. Errors can occur both when trying to start and when braking. You should adhere to certain principles to drive a car correctly, including taking into account the nuances when pressing the brake pedal:

• use mode D when stopping in front of a zebra or traffic light;
• if it becomes clear that the stop on the highway will be long, you need to switch to “P” and let your right leg relax a little.

Using the handbrake

Do not put too much confidence in the car’s automation by ignoring the handbrake. It is recommended to use it at any long stop, following the instructions for use of the machine. In addition, the handbrake will be correctly applied in such circumstances as:

• stop on the slope;
• stop to change wheels;
• stop while the engine is running.

Towing

Many drivers consider it correct to tow a car with an automatic transmission, but you definitely need to know how to do it correctly. The engine must be started, the neutral position is activated, the driving speed is under 50 km/h. If you suddenly cannot start it, it is better to call a tow truck: paying for its services will cost less than repairing a checkpoint.

The “towing” driver needs to remember a number of nuances:

• the machine copes well with not very heavy trailers;
• the car that he pulls with him must weigh the same or be lighter;
• if there are any other options, it is better not to resort to such towing at all.

Tug start

There is no algorithm for such manipulations: drivers act at their own discretion. If there are no other options and the person is confident enough in their driving skills, he takes risks and acts in the following sequence:

• activates neutral and starts the engine;
• presses the gas pedal once in cold weather and starts towing;
• if the transmission is warmed up, it picks up speed up to 50 km/, if cold – up to 30 km/h. You need to stay calm within 2 minutes: this time is just enough for the oil pressure in the transmission to reach the desired level;
• the lever moves to position 2 and, as soon as the engine starts to rotate, presses the gas pedal;
• returns the lever to neutral when the engine starts.

Pros and cons

The convenience of the automatic transmission lies in the fact that there is no need to switch gears and press the clutch, that is, the machine itself regulates this process. It is believed that automatic transmission is an excellent option for autolady. And driving instructors say that learning to drive an automatic transmission is easier than a mechanic.

Despite the convenience, the automatic transmission requires a more careful attitude towards itself. If you improperly operate the manual transmission, then in the event of a breakdown, only the clutch changes. As for the automatic transmission, here you will have to change the entire box as a whole, and such repairs cost a lot of money.

One of the disadvantages of the auomatic transmission is a certain thoughtfulness during the car acceleration. This is especially true for machines with a low-power engine.

Today, many cars are equipped with a robotic box, which, according to car owners, is not particularly pleasing to them. Such a box acts rather slowly, for example, when overtaking, when you need to speed up quickly. Here’s the trick: you need to speed up, you press the gas, but the tachometer needle stops, and the car seems to think. It is at this moment that the gas should be sharply dumped, and then pressed on it again, and with forward movements. This will help you speed up quickly.