Many veteran drivers have their own driving experience and skills, but these experiences are not necessarily correct. For example, some veteran drivers think that they need to heat their car in place before driving, and when waiting for a red light, they should engage N gear and pull up the handbrake. These driving habits sound common and many drivers are convinced, but in reality, these habits can cause harm to the vehicle, waste money, and even affect driving safety.
Different car owners have different opinions on whether a hot car is needed before driving. Some car owners believe that a hot car is necessary because after a long period of parking, the oil inside the engine may flow back to the oil pan, and when the vehicle is started again, the engine may not have enough oil to lubricate. However, almost all cars today use electronic injection, through the ECU computer program for precise fuel injection, and the oil pump will also start working after the engine is started, so that the oil quickly flows through the engine. Therefore, modern vehicles do not need to be geothermal for a long time.
In the northern winter, due to the lower temperature, it may be necessary to wait properly for the hot car when the vehicle is just started. However, this does not mean that it takes a long time to geoheat the car. Prolonged idling can lead to too low engine speed, which in turn leads to inadequate engine combustion, increased fuel consumption and resulting in carbon deposits in the engine. Therefore, proper warming is necessary, but not for too long.
In short, the driving experience and skills taught by some veteran drivers are not necessarily correct. During driving, we should follow the vehicle's instruction manual and driving instructions to ensure that our driving behavior is correct. If we are not sure whether something is done correctly, we can consult a professional or consult relevant materials to obtain more accurate information. After a few seconds, the revs and sounds return to normal and the vehicle can continue moving.
There are several reasons why you should hang the D brake or the N pull handbrake when waiting for a red light:
1. The vehicle does stop when the vehicle is engaged in D gear and the brakes are applied, but at this time the gears of the transmission are still engaged, which means that the vehicle still has forward driving force. This driving force can cause the vehicle to shake slightly, which can affect driving comfort.
2. If you choose to engage N gear and pull up the handbrake, the active and driven gears of the transmission will separate, which means that there is no driving force, and the vehicle will be quieter at this time. At the same time, since the right foot can be rested, the fatigue of driving for long periods of time will be reduced, and this will also help save fuel.
3. If the vehicle is rear-ended, the vehicle may be pushed forward with the D-gear brakes pressed, which may damage the transmission ratchet. Engaging N gear and pulling up the handbrake can avoid this, thus protecting the transmission and the people in the car
However, many automatic models are now equipped with an automatic parking function. When the vehicle brakes and stops while waiting for a red light, the automatic parking function will automatically start, which is equivalent to automatically pulling the handbrake. At this point, the driver can release his right foot to rest. While this configuration makes driving easier and worry-free, it also leaves some drawbacks. For example, in an emergency, the driver may mistakenly operate the accelerator pedal.
Therefore, each driver's driving habits may be different. On models without automatic parking, if the wait time at a red light is longer than 30 seconds, I choose to engage N gear and apply the brakes. If the wait is longer than 50 seconds, I engage N gear and pull up the handbrake to rest my right foot. If the wait time is less than 20 seconds, I usually choose to engage D gear and hit the brakes. If the vehicle is equipped with an automatic parking function, the automatic parking function will automatically start after braking when waiting for a red light, at which point I can release my right foot to rest.
In short, whether to apply the brake in D gear or pull the handbrake in N gear depends on the personal habits and actual situation of the driver. For automatic models, whether to use the automatic parking function also needs to be decided according to the actual situation. The automatic start-stop function can save fuel while waiting for traffic lights, but there are also some problems and pain points. First of all, batteries with automatic start-stop function are more expensive than ordinary batteries, almost twice as expensive. Since the engine consumes a lot of power every time it starts, frequent automatic start-stop can shorten the life of the battery. Therefore, the fuel savings in a few years may not be enough to replace the battery with a new one.
In addition, every time you start the engine, it may feel uncomfortable. Especially in rainy days, if the engine automatically turns off after the vehicle wades in water, and then starts automatically, it may cause damage to the engine. If the engine enters the water and causes a breakdown caused by a second start, the insurance company will not pay for it, but can only repair it at its own expense, which is somewhat unjust.
Therefore, many old drivers are accustomed to turning off the automatic start-stop function as soon as they get into the car. Of course, if you wait for a red light for more than 30 seconds, you can enable automatic start-stop, because this will save some fuel.
In general, the "ignition and go" driving style is not recommended. After the vehicle starts cold, it is best to wait for the revs to return to normal for about 10 seconds before driving. While waiting for a traffic light, if the waiting time exceeds 30 seconds and the vehicle does not have an automatic parking function, you can engage N gear and pull up the handbrake. If there is an automatic parking function, you can directly release your right foot after braking in the default D gear. In terms of driving experience and car maintenance methods, changes in current models and car manufacturing technologies should be taken into account, and cannot be generalized.