In the global automobile market, in the samevehicles equipped with both manual (manual transmission) and automatic (automatic transmission) transmissions are widely represented. And it cannot be said that one of these transmission options has any special advantages over the other. It is just that each of them has its own specific advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the final choice of the car control option undoubtedly belongs to you, as the future or current owner of the vehicle. After all, despite any recommendations and advice, it is you who determine the amount you are willing to part with to purchase a car, know your driving style, and also have a good idea of the conditions in which the car will be driven. If we generalize the opinions of experts and experienced drivers, then the automatic transmission is more suitable for beginners who are just about to get a license, and for people who prefer a calm driving style in the conditions of a modern metropolis. But lovers of thrills and drive with a lot of experience in driving a car should better opt for a car with a manual transmission. It can definitely be said that the advantages of an automatic transmission include:
- simplicity of driving;
- rapid training of newcomers to the basics of driving;
- the opportunity to give maximum attention to the road;
- no overloads of the vehicle engine.
And the main disadvantages include:a higher cost of the car compared to a manual transmission, complexity of maintenance and rather expensive repairs. And also, according to the drivers themselves, cars with automatic transmission do not recognize extreme driving conditions. Therefore, if you have not yet decided on the choice of car, think about how exactly you will operate it and how much money you plan to spend on its maintenance. But we will tell you further about how to properly drive a car that has an automatic transmission (transmission) in order to repair it less often.
Appearance and modes of operation of automatic transmissions
Where you are used to seeing in cars with manual transmissiona lever with which the driver changes gears, in a car with an automatic transmission there is a small lever with a button - the so-called mode selector. This does not mean that the concept of gear shifting is completely absent here - no, this function is entirely owned by the electronic control system, that is, the computer. On the visible part of the automatic transmission block, its operating modes are indicated in Latin letters, for example:
In addition to the basic lever positionsautomatic transmissions, there are also additional ones. In particular, we will talk about the winter mode. Depending on the car brand, it can be designated in several ways, for example: "*", "HOLD", "W", "SNOW". Such a special program for driving in winter conditions, when the road surface is often slippery, is designed to eliminate slipping at the moment when the car starts moving and when shifting gears. In winter mode, your vehicle starts moving immediately from second gear, and further shifting is carried out at lower speeds, which helps to reduce the likelihood of both light and uncontrolled skidding. Using winter mode in the summer is not allowed, since this puts a lot of stress on the automatic transmission, it overheats and its wear increases.
When and how to activate the automatic transmission modes
Before moving the gear leverin one position or another, you should start the car engine, press the brake and press the button located on the lever itself (on the side, in front or on top). The gear you need is engaged one or two seconds after the mode has been selected. At the same time, if you noticed, the engine sounds duller. Remember that only the right foot is responsible for both pedals, the left does not participate in the process. Of course, in some cases, the modes are switched without the need to press the brake or press the button. This happens when the car is already moving. To start the car moving, you should release the brake pedal. If the gearbox lever is set to the "D" position, the car will move forward, if the "R" mode was selected - backward. "Neutral" allows the car to simply stand still or roll downhill - do not forget about this and do not release the brake unless necessary. It turns out that regardless of whether you press the gas pedal or not, in the driving and reverse modes the engine still kind of pushes the car. The characteristics and quality of driving a car with an automatic transmission depend on how exactly you press the gas pedal. Smooth pressing will ensure acceleration without jerks and leisurely gear shifting. If there is a need to accelerate, do not be afraid to add gas, pressing the pedal all the way down. In this way, you give commands to the automatic transmission - more intensely, faster, more powerfully. Know that in this case, the engine will first enter kick-down mode, simply put, the automatic transmission will switch to a lower gear, and only after that the car will accelerate. Such a second delay between pressing the gas and the actual set of revolutions during leisurely driving is insignificant, but when overtaking, when fractions of a second count, it can lead to disastrous results. This is why extreme driving enthusiasts most often choose a vehicle with a manual transmission.
Learning to stop right
There is nothing easier than making a stopa car with an automatic transmission. To do this, you just need to press the brake. But here the question arises whether it is necessary to move the gear lever from the "D" mode to another position. And here is how to do it:
- switch if the stop is long (more than half a minute);
- Do not switch if it is short-lived, for example, in front of a traffic light.
What does this give?In the first case, fuel is saved, because the engine does not have to push the car with the brake on. The lever can be moved to the "N" position, while still holding the brake pedal, or the "P" mode can be turned on, giving your foot a rest. The second option will extend the service life of the expensive gearbox mechanisms. If you are moving slowly in a traffic jam, constantly starting and stopping, move the gearbox lever to the "N" position, because it is from this position and back, to the "D" mode, that the car will automatically switch, without additional pressing.
Manual brake and its functions in cars with automatic transmission
According to car owners,automatic transmission, they practically do not use the handbrake (parking brake). Although the operating rules include a clause that calls on drivers not to fully trust the parking mode and to use the handbrake. It is difficult to answer whether there is a rational grain in this and whether frequent use of the parking brake is really necessary, since owners of cars with automatic transmission do not have the habit of checking its position before starting to move. And if the handbrake was nevertheless used and forgotten, the driver often finds himself at a loss, not paying attention to the signal on the instrument panel in time. But it is still worth separately noting the cases when the handbrake is simply necessary, for example:
- stop the car with the engine running, especially when the driver needs to leave the salon;
- reliable fixation of the position of the car (when replacing the wheels and so on.);
- stopping on a steep slope, before switching to parking mode (otherwise the lever will have to be moved from the "P" position with great effort).
In any case, try not to forget to check the position of the handbrake - this will save you from additional hassle with the car.
What the box-machine does not like
Load and serious speed are the enemies of coldAutomatic transmission. In winter, by pre-warming the engine, you also prepare the gearbox for driving. This does not happen in summer, so do not rush to accelerate in the first few kilometers - give time for the oil to reach the required temperature. In winter, you can, so to speak, accelerate the oil in the box by moving the lever to different positions and lingering a little in each of them. It is important for owners of cars equipped with an automatic transmission to avoid off-road driving, since this type of gearbox does not tolerate wheel slippage. If the car does get stuck, try to return along your own track. The main thing is not to try to leave in the "D" mode: for this, there are low-speed modes, which are marked with the symbols "L" or "1" and are analogous to the first gear in a car with a manual transmission. It is also better not to experiment with towing heavy trailers or another vehicle with yours, since the automatic transmission tends to overheat under heavy loads, and this, in turn, leads to premature wear of its mechanisms. Towing a vehicle with an automatic transmission is also a certain difficulty. This is allowed only in case of extreme necessity and in strict accordance with the operating rules of the automatic transmission with which your car is equipped. It is important to prevent overheating, so the towing distance should not exceed 50 km. Remember that some vehicles have an automatic transmission that generally prohibits their movement with a towing rope. It turns out that an automatic transmission conceals so many nuances. However, the fact is that in the conditions of a megalopolis with its constant traffic jams and traffic lights, it will certainly be easier for a young driver to learn to drive a car with an automatic transmission. And many experienced car enthusiasts have recently been happily switching to vehicles with this type of gearbox, since it makes driving in urban conditions more comfortable. In general, in order to become a client of various types of service workshops as rarely as possible and only go there for scheduled diagnostics or maintenance, it is worth paying special attention to the driving style of a car equipped with an automatic transmission. Smooth acceleration and deceleration are much preferable to sharp pressing of the gas and brake pedals. This allows making fuel consumption more economical not only when driving outside the city, but also within its limits. In order to preserve the life and health of yourself and others, do not forget about those notorious two-three seconds of delay between pressing the gas and changing gear in an automatic transmission, so overtaking maneuvers should be performed thoughtfully, without recklessness. The issue of operation should also be approached wisely, because the cost of a new automatic transmission or repair of a broken one is very high. However, the correct driving style in acceptable conditions will ensure the proper functioning of this important equipment for comfortable driving. We recommend reading:
