I miss my 5-speed manual transmission Honda Accord. Now I have a automatic transmission Toyota Corolla. So when I come up to a traffic light I drop down from drive into third gear. Is it okay to do that with an automatic transmission?
Transmissions are expensive. Brakes are cheap. Your decision.
No, using low range for coming to a stop at a traffic light is not correct usage of your automatic transmission. Use your brakes.
You should read your owner's manual, which describes the correct way to use your vehicle.
- No
Here is a bit from the 2005 Toyota Matrix Manual.
(d) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
Push the overdrive switch. The “O/D
OFF” indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to third
gear.
Shift into the “2” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to second gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than the following speed, and
stronger engine braking will be en-
abled
There is a BIG WARNING that says never to downshift while pressing the accelerator.
As a side note, My Lexus GX470 and Matrix will both downshift automatically if I am going down a steep hill, apply the brakes, and am still going faster.
I wouldn't use it for normal braking at a red light, but I will downshift at a lower speed for the gear, if I know I am coming up to a steep hill, or multiple hills that will be constantly shifting me like crazy. I would normally turn overdrive off at like 30mph or less.
I used to downshift rather than brake in my manual transmission to slow down. But then Scotty’s ever pervasive quote got to me: Brakes are cheap. Makes so much sense.
This topic is about automatics. Manuals are totally different. They are built to be shifted often.
And I suspect that your state driving manual will say you need to downshift when decelerating.
When I say downshift, I mean down shift exclusively sans the brakes. Obviously, I downshift.
Yes, the topic is about automatics. But I think the logic still works out, that one shouldn’t downshift exclusively to slow down the car.
No. One shouldn't downshift an automatic to slow down the car period.
Unless controlling a decent down a long steep hill, where prolonged brake usage could lead to glowing hot rotors and brake fade, or otherwise stated in the owner's manual.
I tend to agree! Glad we are on the same page!
well that's not what you typed.
Sure it is. I just didn’t go into excruciating technical detail like you did.
Well you're right about that... Definitely lacking in detail that is necessary to provide an accurate, unambiguous, and understandable answer.
Such is life!!!
I'm sure it is ... for you. It's not surprising that details and accuracy are not important, and broken and rounded bolts are "more common than not"
However, that's not the life/answers we should, or need to, give people here on this forum.
No one ever said they weren’t important.
- I have a Toyota Corolla with an automatic transmission. When I'm coming to a stop I like to downshift to 3rd gear. Also, when I'm going up a steep hill I also like to downshift into third gear. Is it safe for the automatic transmission to downshift from drive to 3rd gear while the car is in motion. Typically I'm driving at 35 or 40 miles an hour when I am downshifting from drive to 3rd when I'm coming to a stop.
@paulschlanc you asked this question last year. Please read the forum rules to avoid account suspension. Thanks.
My Toyota with a manual trans has had the brakes and clutch replaced once in 225K miles.
the question isn't about manual trans
Just a comparison, @mmj.