Automatic cars are becoming increasingly popular thanks to simple control operations. However, many drivers, especially those who have just moved from manual cars, still maintain inappropriate habits, increasing the risk of unsafety and affecting the durability of the gearbox.
According to a technician at the Ninety Eight Auto Repair, Maintenance and Care Center (Cat Lai ward, Ho Chi Minh City), one of the most common errors is using both legs to control the car. Automatic cars only have two pedals including the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal, so drivers should only use their right foot to operate both pedals. The left foot should be placed on the footrest, and should not be used while driving.
Using two legs can cause drivers to mistakenly step on the accelerator pedal and brake pedal in emergency situations. This is the cause of many accidents, especially for drivers who do not have much experience.
The next mistake is frequently pedaling all the gas to accelerate. In fact, automatic transmissions are designed to automatically shift gears according to the speed and load of the car. Continuous sudden acceleration causes the engine to always operate at high speeds, increasing the load on the transmission, engine and consuming more fuel.
In normal operating conditions, the driver should accelerate slowly, keeping the accelerator pedal stable so that the gearbox has enough time to switch levels smoothly. Only use the accelerator pedal for the entire journey when you really need to accelerate urgently to overtake or handle an emergency situation.
Another commonly debated issue is whether to shift the gear lever to position N when stopping at a red light. Many people believe that this operation helps reduce the load on the gearbox, while some other opinions recommend keeping the gear in gear D and braking if only stopping for a short time.
In fact, with modern automatic transmissions, if you only stop for a few dozen seconds, the driver can hold the D gear and brake. If you have to stop for a long time, for example, prolonged congestion, switching to the N gear and pulling the brake to stop can help your right foot feel less tired. However, it is necessary to avoid continuously switching between D and N when not necessary because this operation does not bring significant benefits to the lifespan of the transmission.
The technician also noted that absolutely do not move the gear lever to position P when the car has not stopped completely, because the parking lock pad may be damaged.
Similarly, you should not switch to engine braking assist modes such as B, L or M (depending on the car line) suddenly when the car is running at high speed if not in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, as it may affect the operation and durability of the gearbox.
The correct use of techniques combined with periodic gearbox maintenance will help the car operate stably, safely and extend the life of the powertrain.
