Automatic transmissionis without a doubt one of the greatest inventions in the automotive industry. An automatic car has ushered in a new era for car owners due to the safety it provides. This type of car is preferred not only by professional drivers, but also by people with basic driving skills. However, can this greatest invention provide complete safety for its driver? Unfortunately, it is not.

Even though an automatic car is amazingly safe, there are some things you should avoid at all costs while driving your car. Here’s a list of these 7 mistakes that can damage your car and leave you shelling out for expensive repairs.

Driving the car down a slope in neutral or throwing it into neutral while moving

This is a very common mistake when driving a car with an automatic transmission. This will not help you speed up the car. This reduces the oil supply so the gearbox does not receive proper lubrication for smooth operation. This results in significant wear and damage. For this reason, we recommend giving up this habit, since the cost of repairing the transmission is not worth the minor fuel savings.

Accelerate before shifting into gear

We all did it when we were teenagers. But let’s not be so stupid, because now it’s not our parents who will pay for the repairs, but this time we ourselves! This has a great negative impact on the box, which causes a significant increase in friction between the internal components, causing damage to parts of the engine mechanism.

Changing gears while the car is moving

This puts a lot of wear and tear on the components, wearing out the transmission at an astonishing rate and can lead to serious transmission failure. Do not move the handle to positions P and R. Only after the car has completely stopped can you switch to these positions.

Put it in neutral when the traffic light is red

Many people do this to save fuel and protect the transmission from unnecessary wear and tear. In fact, fuel loss is minimal, use the brake pedal while keeping the transmission in D. The actual damage occurs when you shift into and out of neutral.

Switching to parking mode until the car comes to a complete stop

Shifting into park mode will cause the locking pin to be inserted into the gear attached to the transmission output shaft. The wheels are also connected to the same shaft. So, when you lock it and your car is rolling in neutral at the same time, there is a risk of breaking the locking pin.

Driving without pre-warming the engine

This is a mistake, especially in the winter season. When the weather is cold, the oil is thick and slow moving. Give the fuel a minute to get into the transmission and all parts of it. If you shift into gear and start driving at high speed from the start, it will cause serious internal damage.

Driving with low fuel and oil levels

An automatic transmission vehicle relies heavily on fluid pressure to continue to operate properly. Oil also helps the engine and other parts stay cool and lubricated. So the parts will wear out much faster if you keep the reservoir at low fluid levels all the time. For example, frequent trips on an empty tank can prematurely damage the catalyst in the exhaust system and the fuel pump.

How to drive a car with an automatic transmission

To avoid mistakes when driving a car with an automatic transmission, first, you need to know how to drive it. Although all four-wheeled vehicles operate in the same way, car owners should be aware of some differences:

Footwork

Like driving any car, you need to understand how to use your legs to better control the car. However, automatic models do not have a clutch pedal, only a brake and gas pedal. It turns out that driving an automatic car is quite simple: you will use only your right foot to control the two pedals, while your left foot will remain at rest the entire time.

Starting the engine of a car with automatic transmission

When starting a car with an automatic transmission, you must remember! When the engine is off, the lever should be in the letter P. And to start the engine, car owners can press the brake pedal and use the ignition key. Remember to shift into D and release the brake. After these movements the car will start moving.

Stop

Last but not least, to ensure a perfect stop when using a car with an automatic transmission, you need to press the brake pedal along with shifting the gear to P. After that, use the ignition key to turn off the engine and headlights.

Conclusion

Of course, experts have known all this for a long time, but not every driver is an expert in the design of his car. Avoiding these mistakes is no more difficult than changing some habits. Driving correctly will extend the life of your automatic car, keep you safe on the road, and save you a lot of money on car maintenance.

REMEMBER: You can always contact our car service center, where your car will be happy to receive professional technical assistance. You can also make an appointment with us for a scheduled technical inspection! Please familiarize yourself with our car repair and diagnostic services.