The car at the present time is far from a luxury, but a convenient and comfortable means of transportation. At the same time, the automatic transmission control option is available not only in premium segment cars, but also in the simplest small cars, such as Daewoo Matiz, Kia Picanto and others. Moreover, even Russian manufacturers have begun serial production of passenger cars with robotic and automatic gearboxes. The absence of a third pedal in the steering column space greatly simplified the management of vehicles, especially people who are far from understanding how and due to which the car is set in motion and controlled.
How does the machine work?
Indeed, driving has become much easier. I pressed one pedal - the car went, the other - the car stopped. In the simplest version, automatic gearbox control is minimized. The Drive position (Latin letter D on the selector) enables the vehicle to move forward, the Reverse position (Latin letter R) to the rear, the Parking position (Latin letter P) blocks the transmission of torque from the box to the differential and puts the mechanism into parking mode (parking ) However, even on such boxes there is a Neutral neutral gear mode (Latin letter N), in connection with which many people have a question: is it necessary to turn on the neutral on the machine and why is it needed at all?
Manual gearbox
To answer this question, it would be nice to figure out what the automatic gear shift option is and on what types of gearbox it exists. In the classic version of driving a car, the driver himself decides to switch to a higher or lower gear. In this he is assisted by the clutch pedal, which separates the drive and output shaft of the box at the time of switching to another gear, and the gearshift lever, which he puts into the position corresponding to the selected gear. The neutral gear allows you to keep the shafts disconnected without constantly squeezing the clutch pedal. "But it’s mechanics, is it necessary to turn on neutral on the machine?" - you ask again.
Neutral on the machine
In a classic automatic transmission (automatic gearbox), gear changes automatically, without the direct involvement of the driver. This is facilitated by a special torque converter, the operation of which in a modern box depends on many factors, including how often you put the selector in the neutral position of the transmission control. Almost all modern automatic transmissions (AKPs) are adaptable, that is, adaptable to a specific driving style. Many people ask: they say, why do we need neutral on the machine, if there are already three positions for control (D, R, P)? The answer is pretty simple. The parking mode blocks the car’s wheels, making it impossible to move in this mode, while the neutral simply disconnects the connection between the gearbox and the wheels. At the same time, the car can be rolled, towed or run off the hill in order to save fuel.
Robotic gearbox
There are currently several varieties of the automatic gearbox. The interface of the robotic box is not much different from the classic torque converter. The difference is hidden inside. A special robot switches gears in such a transmission for the driver when a set of certain factors is reached while the car is moving. Do I need to enable neutral on this type of machine? If necessary, then yes. The procedure is the same as on a conventional automatic transmission. The difference between parking and neutral on automatic boxes of any type is unchanged. In the parking lot, the car’s wheels will always be locked to prevent spontaneous rollback.
Why do you need neutral on the machine?
Unfortunately, the car does not always move by itself. Minor breakdowns, accidents and accidents sometimes force drivers to use the services of a towing tow truck. You can evacuate the car in various ways: by direct towing (on a flexible or rigid coupling), as well as by the method of full or partial loading. However, regardless of the method chosen, on a towed car with an automatic gearbox, it is necessary to break the direct connection between the wheels and the gearbox before towing begins. Otherwise, there is a real chance to damage the transmission, and the final bill for the repair of your favorite swallow can grow by an order of magnitude. The answer to the question of whether it is necessary to turn on neutral on the vehicle’s machine when towing it is clearly stated in the operating instructions for each vehicle. Important! It is imperative that the gear selector is in the neutral position. Otherwise, the manufacturer withdraws its warranty in case of failure.
About the cost of fuel
The cost of fuel sold at gas stations, unfortunately, is only growing every year. A few years ago, the government tried to link the annual increase in its value with the abolition of transport tax. Say, let only those who use the car for its intended purpose pay for the wear of the roadway. Moreover, the more often a car would be used, the more its driver would pay, buying more gasoline necessary for the car to move. The idea, in principle, is wonderful, but the implementation let us down. We wanted the best - it turned out as always. As a result, we have what we have, namely the increased cost of fuel and the same transport tax in addition. Therefore, fuel economy is an important point in the modern operation of any vehicle.
For fuel economy
And how is fuel economy related to neutral and what will happen if you turn on neutral on automatic transmission while driving? It is enough to recall a good old-fashioned way of free coasting from a hill or from any gentle slope. For Soviet cars with a manual gearbox, they simply turned the gear off for this, turning into neutral. On modern machines with automatic transmission, you can act accordingly, that is, put the box selector in the neutral position (but not in the "Parking" position, remember this). If you leave the “Drive” mode while driving downhill, then an unincluded gearbox continues to rotate the engine output shaft, maintaining medium (and sometimes quite high) revolutions of its rotation. This, accordingly, leads to excessive fuel consumption.
You can, but very carefully
Accordingly, when the direct connection between the gearbox and the wheels is opened, that is, when switching to neutral, the engine rotation speed drops to the minimum set (idle speed). Along with this, fuel consumption is also reduced, which leads to savings. Therefore, the question of whether it is necessary to switch the automatic transmission to a neutral position when moving down the hill, you can safely answer in the affirmative. The only thing you should not forget about is security. When switching from neutral back to "Drive", you should carefully switch the box selector in order to avoid erroneous switching to the "Reverse" or "Parking" mode. At a minimum, this will lead to a serious breakdown of the transmission, and in the worst case, to a severe accident.
At traffic lights
Is it possible to turn on neutral gear at a traffic light? Of course you can, but why? In this case, as in Drive, the driver will have to keep his foot on the brake pedal to prevent the vehicle from rolling back or forth. It is much more convenient to put the gear selector in the "Parking" position and relax your leg, giving it a rest. Moreover, modern foreign cars offer the option of an electronic hand brake. The function is activated by pressing a button and holds the car in place in the "Drive" mode until the moment the driver presses the gas pedal to continue driving. In such machines, theoretically, you can not switch driving modes until the end of the route.
In traffic
Is it necessary to include neutral in the automatic transmission at traffic lights, especially when driving in traffic jams? Theoretically, this can be done, especially if the road goes downhill, you do not plan to change from row to row and do not rush anywhere. However, you will have to constantly work the brake pedal, stopping the car, holding it in place and after the start of movement, preventing it from accelerating especially hard. It should also be borne in mind that in this case the car will pick up speed very slowly (the lower the slope, the slower), and the more brisk drivers will be able to wedge in front of you, again causing you to slow down. Yes, and this style of driving is unlikely to appeal to some of your impatient traffic jam neighbors, especially those who are behind you.
In the parking lot
Many novice drivers are also interested in the question of whether it is possible to put on a neutral on the machine when the car is parked. The answer to this question can be given in the affirmative or negative. Answering a question with a question, one can say the following words: "Why put the car in neutral in the parking lot, because there is a" Parking "mode, which was created specifically for this?" People with experience, especially supporters of driving on a mechanic, will answer that, they say, in the "Parking" the box is under load, and on the slope it generally keeps the entire weight of the car on itself. For adherents of this theory, there is a positive answer. Yes, you can park the car with the box in neutral, but do not forget to squeeze out the handbrake so that it does not roll into a parking neighbor, in a ditch or on the roadway, creating an emergency with a possible accident.
To leave in neutral?
The question is often asked: "The car has a neutral gear, why do I need it?" How to drive a car with neutral switched on? It is possible to answer unequivocally that you cannot travel far with a neutral on by car. You can slide down the hill, go partway along the coast, but in the end the speed will drop to zero and the car will stop. These are the laws of physics, and they cannot be deceived. Neutral is necessary only for the possibility of towing and free movement, as a rule, from an inclined plane, as well as to save fuel.