Downshifting to slow down?

[supreme_style21]

Is it good or bad to downshift an automatic transmission to slow down? I've heard both yes and no on this, depending on which mechanic I ask. What are the facts on this matter? (downshifting, obviously within respectable RPM speeds)

[Robby1870]

IMO, no. Let it downshift it self. Thats what it was made to do

 

Robby

[JS91Z34]

I'm with robby on that one. You really shouldn't downshift unless it is absolutely necessary.

[supreme_style21]

I use it sometimes to slow the car down. As everyone is aware, the brakes blow on these cars, so I use the transmission occasionally along with the brakes to slow down at stop signs and lights and such. Like I said earlier, some mechanics are like, oh god no! don't do that!.. then again, other ones are saying, yeah sure, they were built to do that. They say it is recommened in the manual to use a lower gear to keep the car at a slower speed on hills and such, so they say it will do the same thing if you use it to slow the car down.

[grandprix104]

the ONLY time i ever use the tranny to slow the car down is when im heading down a very steep long hill. And even then its just to keep the car from speeding up more than it is to slow it down.

[Guest TurboSedan]

i'd agree; let the car do the downshifting itself except maybe when going down steep hills like grandprix104 mentioned (anyone ever go down I-80 between Evanston,WY & Salt Lake City? prepare for new brakes...). with my manual it's sorta the opposite (at least for me). i downshift ALOT to slow the car down.

 

i'm not sure if it would be better if i just put it in neutral and used the brakes only? any input?

thanks

joshua

[grandprix104]

that would be almost the same as driving with it in gear. Best thing in those situations is to let the tranny take the abuse for awhile then switch back to the brakes. I know of one hill down here that you stomp the brakes all the way down for 3 miles with no rest in between drops. By the time you get to the bottom the entire mountain smells like burning brakes.

[Brian P]

I use it all the time, 186k original tranny, beat that

[supreme_style21]

There's the contradicting opinions I always get once again..

[JS91Z34]

Use your best judgement. Thats all I can say.

[Brian P]

How about "Use it, don't abuse it" Like dont use it all the time to stop hard, or use it along with the brakes except like going downhill at freeway speeds. Also dont downshift to a gear where the engine will jump and hold like 5000rpm's unless needed

[supreme_style21]

that makes sense.

[patgizz]

i dont trust FWD cars to do this. i do it in my truck all the time, as its brakes are terrible. i tried in my cousin's brand new contour(ford POS) and the tranny grenaded

[Guest TurboSedan]

There's the contradicting opinions I always get once again..

 

that's what we're here for

joshua

[Baddflash]

Your tranny wasn't designed to be used like that, your brakes were, IMO.

 

Brakes are cheap!!!!!! A new tranny will cost you like $2000 and new brakes like $250 with rotors.

[Bolt_Crank]

i'm not sure if it would be better if i just put it in neutral and used the brakes only? any input?

thanks

joshua

 

 

 

Neutral is very BAD for an auto tranny, unless at low speeds, and short distances

[Brian P]

Your tranny wasn't designed to be used like that, your brakes were, IMO.

 

Brakes are cheap!!!!!! A new tranny will cost you like $2000 and new brakes like $250 with rotors.

 

Yeah, I'm not using my brakes on a downgrade for 4 miles on a freeway. Are you?

 

 

 

 

 

There's a reason for D, 2, 1 and it isnt for power-upshifting! Like I said, 186k, downshift more often than most, and for about a week I downshifted CONSTANTLY because I had one rear pad grind to metal. It's also beneficial to keep a tranny on like "2" if you're in the city and dont go above 30mph or so, because if it's in OD the trans is going to constantly go into 3rd when you dont need it (when you let your foot off the gas) And this way rather than having it shift into 3rd, it stays in 2nd, which will assist in slowing the car down, cause it's city traffic- as soon as your foot is off the gas, odds are you're about to brake. Follow?

[ismellrealbad]

sometimes, but rarley i do it to slow the car down. i do it when im on any kind of downhill grade that i want to maintain speed. also i noticed it goes into gear a lot smoother if you hold the gas when u shift then slowly let off, but i rarley do that cuz lets see um, that defeats the purpose of downshifting

[hazmatic]

Your tranny wasn't designed to be used like that, your brakes were, IMO.

 

Brakes are cheap!!!!!! A new tranny will cost you like $2000 and new brakes like $250 with rotors.

 

Yeah, I'm not using my brakes on a downgrade for 4 miles on a freeway. Are you?

 

 

 

 

 

There's a reason for D, 2, 1 and it isnt for power-upshifting! Like I said, 186k, downshift more often than most, and for about a week I downshifted CONSTANTLY because I had one rear pad grind to metal. It's also beneficial to keep a tranny on like "2" if you're in the city and dont go above 30mph or so, because if it's in OD the trans is going to constantly go into 3rd when you dont need it (when you let your foot off the gas) And this way rather than having it shift into 3rd, it stays in 2nd, which will assist in slowing the car down, cause it's city traffic- as soon as your foot is off the gas, odds are you're about to brake. Follow?

 

 

what is good for city drivin i got 1, 2, d, n the d wit the circle around it i usally use d for city dirvin n the do wit the circle around it for highway drivin

 

but downshiftin is ok as long as u do it in the right rpm n i would recomend dowen shirftin down big hills cause it easa on the brakes

[Brian P]

sometimes, but rarley i do it to slow the car down. i do it when im on any kind of downhill grade that i want to maintain speed. also i noticed it goes into gear a lot smoother if you hold the gas when u shift then slowly let off, but i rarley do that cuz lets see um, that defeats the purpose of downshifting

 

Yeah I guess thats what I was getting at...maintain speed or slow down pretty much the same thing but on a lesser extent....

[91GranSport]

I'd drive an automatic the way it was supposed to be driven: Step on the brakes to slow down and keep it in drive unless you need to switch to something else.

 

Is it good or bad to downshift an automatic

transmission to slow down? I've heard both yes and no on this, depending on which mechanic I ask. What are the facts on this matter? (downshifting, obviously within respectable RPM speeds)

[Baddflash]

I wasn't referring to using a lower gear to maintain speed down a hill. I was more referring to using your auto like a manual and constantly downshifting through the gears, which no matter what you say is not all that good for an automatic that wasn't designed to be used that way, IMO!!!

[Brian P]

I wasn't referring to using a lower gear to maintain speed down a hill. I was more referring to using your auto like a manual and constantly downshifting through the gears, which no matter what you say is not all that good for an automatic that wasn't designed to be used that way, IMO!!!

 

Yeah things like that are never good, especially downshifting at part throttle

[badprix]

I drive around in 1st then when im doing like 30 I mat the go pedal and boy do I go!!!! I only do that every once in a while though