[decorily]

With an automatic gearbox is it OK to leave it in 'D' when stopped for a period of a few minutes or is it better to move to 'P'?


If I was driving a manual box I would not sit with the gear engaged and the clutch pedal depressed for a few minutes.....should an auto be treated similarly?

 

[ShadowImg]

There's no reason to ever put it in P unless you're parking. In general, let the brakes do the work of holding the car. The parking pawl should really always be the 'second' factor in holding the car in place.

If you're going to sit for several minutes, it might be better to shut the motor off entirely if you're just looking for absolute best efficiency.

 

[noobytoogy]

What's wrong with N and the parking brake?

 

[FSJ Guy]

Auto trannies are designed to have the vehicle sit still with the engine running. No reason to complicate things.

Remember, the "clutch" in a regular automatic (not a DSG!) is the torque converter. Unless you're revving the engine while in gear, you are not damaging anything.

 

[decorily]

Thanks for the info.