How to learn to drive an automatic car

How to learn to drive a car from scratch

In this article we’ll talk about how to learn to drive a car from scratch: what you need to do for this, what you shouldn’t do and what skills you need to have.

Content

How to quickly learn to drive a car

The main thing in the learning process is not to be afraid of the car, to understand the basic principles of driving, to feel the dimensions and power of the driving force.

It's always worth starting small - don't rush to set the bar high. Try the following exercises with the engine off. This will help you perform actions while driving without looking at your feet and without being distracted from the process of driving:

Switch speeds. Understand in what position this or that gear is fixed.
Practice the process of turning on the turn. The right turn is activated by moving up, the left - by moving down. It will be easier to remember if you understand the movement of the steering wheel. When it rotates, the finger of the left hand seems to set the correct direction.
Rotate the steering wheel while gripping the wheel with both hands. Feel the boundaries of the extreme left and extreme right steering positions.

Practice these exercises for a couple of days and you will be ready to drive. Even if you worry, your arms and legs will act automatically. You will feel in control of the situation.

Confidence that you are in control of the car is the most important thing in mastering driving skills.

How to learn to drive a manual car

Most drivers are trained in manual transmission vehicles. This is what is called a classic of the genre, because:

Manual transmission is the most complex. When acquiring the skills to drive a manual vehicle, it is easier for the driver to switch to alternative transmissions.
Driving a car with a manual transmission allows the driver to be more focused behind the wheel, which subsequently makes him more attentive and focused on the roads.
A manual transmission allows you to pick up and decelerate faster, which makes it possible to better feel and control the car.

The best way to learn to drive is to trust an experienced instructor. Listen carefully and try to follow the specialist’s recommendations as accurately as possible.

What is important to understand when you get behind the wheel of a manual car?

on the left - clutch;
in the middle - brake;
on the right is gas.

The most basic pedal is the clutch. Using it, you can set the car in motion. To do this you need:

press the clutch pedal;
remove the car from the handbrake (it is on the right);
engage neutral gear (on a stationary vehicle, the lever is already in the desired position);
slowly release the clutch.

The car will roll. In order to continue moving, you must:

press the clutch all the way;
engage first gear (move the lever to the left and away from you);
smoothly squeezing the gas pedal, slowly release the clutch (the main thing is not to be afraid of the sounds that appear and not to drop the clutch, slowly adding gas).

After a couple of attempts, you will perform these actions automatically. At first it won't turn out perfect. You might go deaf. Don't panic, just try again.

How to change gears on a manual transmission

To go faster, you need to gradually increase the speed by changing gears.

To accelerate the car, you need to press the clutch pedal and smoothly release the gas. At the same moment, engage the next gear and increase the gas.

When it's time to change gears:

1st gear - up to 20 km/h;
2nd gear - 20-40 km/h;
3rd gear - 40-60 km/h;
4th gear - 60-90 km/h;
5th gear - 90 km/h or more.

Nikita Orlov, auto expert:

“It is better to learn driving on an old and, oddly enough, faulty car. When I was learning to drive, the driving schools only had Zhiguli cars of varying degrees of serviceability, without power steering, air conditioning and other joys of modern technology.

Once you learn to drive a bad car, you will feel confident driving almost any car. Learn to drive a manual transmission and, when you switch to a car with an automatic transmission, you will feel both self-confidence and additional comfort.

If you already know what make and model of car you will buy after receiving your driver's license, it makes sense to look for an instructor for just such a car. Then, when you get behind the wheel of your own car, you will hardly feel the difference. In any case, only perseverance and daily practice will make you a real driver.”

How to learn to drive an automatic car

With an automatic transmission, driving becomes automatic. There are many advantages:

You don’t have to be afraid of “kickbacks” when a car rolls backwards on a hill.
You don’t have to use the handbrake on hills or when stopping: the system locks the wheels itself.
There are only two pedals under your feet. Essentially, you control with one leg. You can forget about the process of squeezing the clutch, learning which causes problems and fears for most.
You don't have to listen to the engine to change gears in time.
In winter, there is no need to prepare for the maneuver in advance, as is done in mechanics.

All that is required of a driver driving a car with an automatic transmission is knowledge of traffic rules.

On an automatic, the gear selector looks slightly different than on a manual transmission. There are three programs:

P - parking. The same handbrake. Having pressed the brake pedal, you have stopped completely and realize that you will not move for the next couple of minutes. You can put the shift lever in park mode and release the brake pedal, thereby immobilizing the car.
R - reverse speed. Everything here is simple and clear. Squeeze the brake pedal all the way, move the lever to position R, release the brake pedal, and the car will roll back.
N - neutral speed. This transmission is used quite rarely. It is needed when driving in difficult areas, when you need to get out of a deep hole.

Learning to drive a car with an automatic transmission is much easier than with a manual one. But if you learn to drive a car with an automatic transmission, you won’t be able to drive a manual one.

This is because the car does too much for you. This is especially noticeable in new generation cars with various cruise control systems, when you do not need to press the gas pedal.

Get into the car, press the brake pedal, release it - the engine is started. And now the car begins to move smoothly without unnecessary vibrations and slipping. We sat down and drove off.

The automatic transmission is designed to make life easier for the motorist. For example, it is very convenient in city traffic, when you have to change lanes a lot, also changing gears. Or, on the contrary, stand in a traffic jam, periodically rolling up 3-4 meters.

But if you want to become a universal driver, you should start learning with a manual transmission. And when you drive it like an automatic, then you can switch to an automatic.

How to learn to feel the dimensions of a car

For beginners, unlike experienced drivers, it is always difficult to navigate in space and feel where the car ends. This is why you need training at the race track.

The more experience, the better you will feel the dimensions. But first, let's give some tips to make the process go faster:

On the road you should not look under the wheels of your car. Don't try to see the asphalt in front of them. The gaze is directed only forward.
When driving backwards, it is important to understand how the wheels move and where the bumper ends. To do this, they usually focus on the rear brush, if there is one.
Before changing lanes in traffic, show the turn and look in the mirror. When the neighboring car is completely behind you, feel free to change lanes.

Don't be afraid to practice. Set challenging tasks and complete them. They won't work right away. But when you complete the exercise several times in a row, you will feel that there is nothing difficult about it and everyone can drive a car.

And if you are planning to buy your first car, use the recommendations that we have prepared for you. The site contains a whole section of articles in which we tell in detail how to purchase a used car and what to watch out for when choosing. Read reviews of used models from different years of production on our blog. We also run a Youtube channel, where you will find many useful and interesting episodes.

Automatic driving for beginners: general rules

Before a novice motorist gets behind the wheel and gains practical driving skills, it is necessary for the beginner to study the rules of the road and basic technical disciplines regarding the general structure of the car.

More precisely, you need to know about the operating principles of the main components that make up the car. Although the latter is not required to be studied according to regulations, this knowledge will not be superfluous for future motorists.

In this article we will look at how to drive an automatic car for beginners, the principle of operation of an automatic transmission, rules for using an automatic transmission, switching operating modes of an automatic transmission, etc.

Read in this article

Automatic driving for beginners

So, the automatic transmission selector lever has several main positions: P, R, N, D, D2 (or L), D3 or S. Let's look at each one separately.

The position of the gear shift lever is in the “P” position - parking. The vehicle cannot move, but in this mode the engine can be started.
The position of the gear shift lever in the “R” position is reverse. Reverse. This position cannot be used while the vehicle is moving forward. In this mode, the engine cannot be started.
"N" - neutral. The car can move freely. In this mode, starting the engine and towing the car are allowed.

Not all automatic transmissions have such switching modes; it all depends on the modification of the transmission. The lever can be switched from position D to position D2 or D3 and back while the vehicle is moving. Automatic transmissions can also be additionally equipped with gear shift modes: N – normal, E – economical, S – sport.

Driving car: automatic transmission

Having understood the principle of using an automatic transmission, you can go directly to how to drive an automatic transmission for beginners. The first lesson in driving a vehicle should include learning the correct driver's position behind the wheel of a car.

Adjusting the driver's seat. The back of the driver's seat should be as vertical as possible, but not at the expense of the driver's seating comfort. Removing the cushion from the pedal assembly should be aimed at incomplete straightening of the driver's leg when pressing the brake pedal as much as possible.

Adjusting rear view mirrors. After the driver has adjusted the driver's seat, it is necessary to adjust the rear view mirrors. As a rule, modern cars are equipped with two side and interior rear-view mirrors (with the exception of pickup trucks and commercial vehicles).

The mirrors must be adjusted in such a way that the driver, without changing his position and without turning his head, can instantly assess the situation behind the car using all mirrors only by moving his eyes.

After the driver's seating settings are completed, you can begin to start the engine. On many models, starting the internal combustion engine of a car with an automatic transmission is impossible without pressing the brake pedal in any position of the automatic transmission mode selector, except P and N.

The key has four positions in the ignition switch:

Standard (basic position).
Removing the anti-theft lock (unlocking the steering column).
Turning on the ignition (dashboard control). The vehicle's electronic system is activated.
Engine starting.

To start a car with automatic transmission:

We insert the key into the ignition and depress the brake pedal, while the gear shift lever should be in the parking position “P” or the neutral position “N”.
Without releasing the brake pedal, turn the ignition key to the “Engine Start” position.
Moving the gear selector lever to the drive position “D” or “R”, release the brake pedal, lower the parking brake, after which the car begins to move.

Before starting to move the car, you need to make sure using the rear-view mirrors that there is no passing traffic, turn on the turn, move your right foot from the brake pedal to the gas pedal and start moving smoothly.

After entering the roadway, all actions of the driver must comply with the requirements of the traffic rules. The driver of the vehicle is obliged to comply with the speed limit on this section of the road, stick to the far right lane, depending on the road situation and markings.

Movement uphill and downhill. Before climbing, the driver must evaluate the steepness, length and quality of the road surface laid on the climb. If the road surface is of good quality and weather conditions allow you to overcome the climb without slowing down, in this case the driver of the vehicle, several tens of meters before the start of the climb, after making sure that his maneuver is safe, must press the accelerator pedal in order to give the car maximum acceleration.

This maneuver is performed in order to increase the inertia of the moving vehicle to facilitate its entry uphill without losing the vehicle's cruising speed.

If the road surface is of insufficient quality, or weather conditions do not allow you to safely roll up the slope, the driver of the vehicle must take the extreme right position on the roadway. Next, you should overcome the rise at low speed. If the steepness of the climb is too great, you should limit yourself to downshifts on the automatic transmission (D3, 2, L).

Reversing. Before starting to reverse, the driver of the vehicle must first ensure that there is sufficient space on the roadway behind the vehicle to complete the maneuver.

After this, the driver of the vehicle must make sure that there is no traffic or other obstacles in the direction of travel of his car using the rear-view mirrors and by turning his head.

Neutral position "N". This position of the automatic transmission selector is used extremely rarely, often for “service” purposes: to roll the car onto a tow truck or onto a lift, as part of maintenance, when towing, etc.

In some cases, “neutral” is turned on when it is necessary to move the car several meters with the engine off. When driving in traffic, it is not recommended to move the automatic transmission selector to position N, as this “disconnects” the engine from the automatic transmission, which leads to a complete loss of traction on the drive wheels and can cause accidents.

What's the result?

As you can see, driving an automatic car, especially for beginners, is much easier compared to driving a car with a manual transmission. A car with an automatic transmission is ideal for driving in city traffic, since the driver is not distracted by changing gears while driving a car with an automatic transmission.

Finally, we would like to add that driving an automatic transmission for beginners has its own rules that must be followed. Following such rules and recommendations allows, on the one hand, to protect the automatic transmission itself from premature breakdowns, and on the other, to avoid emergency situations on the road.

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Driving a car with an automatic transmission for novice drivers

Many argue that there is no serious knowledge to operate an automatic transmission; it is much easier than using a manual transmission. But experienced instructors say otherwise, that there are difficulties with automatic transmissions, especially for beginners. To understand the principle of gear shifting, you need to know how the mechanisms in the device interact.

It is clear that for an automatic transmission, the position of the lever or selector, as well as the speed value, are important. After all, if there is too little gas, then switching to a higher stage occurs earlier, and when, on the contrary, there is too much gas, the switching does not have time and, as a result, the “automatic” simply does not have time to think through further actions, which often leads to its breakdown.

That is, it is worth understanding the difference: when you sharply press the pedal, the so-called “kick-down” is activated, and a corresponding transition to a lower gear occurs. Having reached the required speed, the accelerator pedal is released and you shift to higher gear.

As you can see, the general principle of operation is the same for all gearboxes, be it manual or automatic. Any “box” serves as a transition bridge between the engine and the wheels. Therefore, it depends on the gearbox how fast you go. If, when driving a manual transmission, you have to independently set the tone and character of the drive, speed, gear selection, then the automatic transmission does it for you.

Lever position

Before taking a driving master class, you need to learn all the operating modes of the “box”. For almost all automatic transmissions, the position of the gearshift knob varies in the same positions. Let's talk about them in more detail below:

1. "R". Parking. This is the so-called parking brake; it can be compared with a manual one, but not in the exact sense, but in general. It is capable of fixing the position of the car; activation is allowed only when the car is completely stopped. Under no circumstances should the lever be moved to this position while driving. It is necessary to start the car in the same position.
2. "R". Reverse. The use is clear; turn it on only when you come to a complete stop.
3. "N". Neutral gear. The rotation of the engine crankshaft in this position is not transmitted to the drive wheels, but still you should not turn on this mode when driving. It is usually used when standing at a traffic light for a long time, simultaneously turning on the handbrake.
4. "D". This position is provided for all classic road maneuvers. If the numbers 2,3,4 indicate only switching up to this mark, then the general position provides for all speeds depending on the gearbox class.

During short stops, for example, at a traffic light, mode “D” will most often be turned on. You will need to use the brake to keep the car in one place. If a long stop is required, with the engine running, if the traffic light is more than 2 minutes, or a short stop to disembark passengers, it is recommended to move the lever to the “H” position. This mode is great when maneuvering in a parking lot, where the speed is controlled by the brake. When on slopes for a long time, it is worth using the handbrake to avoid overheating of the transmission. But, under no circumstances “accelerate” with the gear engaged and the brake depressed.

Learning to touch

You have learned the basic concepts, now you need to figure out how to start moving correctly, without jerking or slipping, and so that the “automatic” lasts a long time. The correct movement consists of following certain sequential actions. So:

1. Squeeze the brake as much as possible.
2. Start the engine.
3. Make sure that the car is not parked in the handbrake. If you do not control the position of the handbrake, the automatic transmission will most likely fail. Under no circumstances should you drive with the handbrake on. You can check whether it is “raised” by looking at the instrument panel; there should be a light with a special indicator on; if not, then you can safely start moving. It is also easy to look between the seats to see whether the handbrake is raised or not.
4. Press the button that controls “automatic”. This is a trick and a warning from the manufacturer against arbitrary switching.
5. Switch the gearshift lever to driving mode, that is, “D” if you plan to move backwards. Otherwise, turn on “R”. Before you start driving, you should learn how to control the lever itself; you should do this while the car is parked.
6. Do not forget that you need to switch gearbox modes only with the brake depressed. After starting the engine, you should not immediately switch the mode; you need to give time for the oil in the box to warm up. Driving with a cold automatic transmission is a serious test for the car’s components, so you should not neglect simple concepts and requirements that will preserve the life of the “box”.

Having prepared the car, you can start driving. Carefully remove your foot from the brake, and the car will start moving on its own, even without pressing the accelerator pedal. Do not forget that with an automatic transmission, force is transferred from the engine constantly when the forward or reverse modes are turned on. Therefore, it is not necessary to add gas; the car itself will begin to move slowly in the direction specified by the lever.

A car with an automatic transmission should only be accelerated by smoothly pressing the gas, giving the “brains” of the box time to think. Sharp presses are justified only when accelerating, overtaking or avoiding obstacles. In normal mode, you should not accelerate sharply.

How to drive an automatic transmission correctly - tips for driving a car with automatic transmission

Currently, more and more cars are coming off the assembly line equipped with an automatic transmission. The thing is that in city mode with traffic jams and constant stops at traffic lights, an automatic transmission is very convenient, saving a lot of nerves and time for the driver.

In this article, we will analyze in detail all the intricacies of operating a car with an automatic transmission: how to start the vehicle, how to get started correctly, and what you should never do.

What is an automatic transmission

An automatic transmission is one of the types of transmission in which the required gear ratio is automatically selected without driver intervention, taking into account the nature of the movement, speed and other parameters.

In a car with an automatic transmission, there is no clutch pedal due to the fact that the clutch is replaced by a torque converter, which transmits torque to the wheels.

Starting a car with automatic transmission

To ensure the safety of the automatic transmission, several types of protection are provided in the car.

To start the car engine, the selector lever must be in the Parking (P) or N eutral (N) position. When the selector is in other modes, starting the engine will be impossible, since either the key will not turn or nothing will happen at all.

Due to the fact that the “N” mode is intended by the manufacturer mainly for towing the car, it is preferable to use the “P” mode to start the engine, in which the drive wheels are locked, which protects against unplanned movement of the vehicle on an inclined surface.

Another important protection against improper starting of the car is the need to depress the brake pedal, which is very useful when starting the car in the selector position on “N”, since the pressed brake pedal will prevent the car from rolling when it is on an inclined surface.

Modern cars have additional types of protection to prevent theft. If, despite following all the steps to start the engine correctly, the key in the ignition switch cannot be turned and the steering wheel also does not respond to attempts to turn it, the anti-theft protection has turned on.

To remove it, you must carefully turn the key while turning the steering wheel in any direction. With coordinated actions, the theft protection will turn off and the car will be able to start.

How to start automatically

After starting the engine, the car must be released from the handbrake.

To start driving with the brake pedal depressed, you must move the selector to one of the positions by pressing the button on it:

“D” - forward movement under normal conditions;
“R” - reversing if maneuver is necessary;
“L” or “D2” - for off-road driving, when the car is on a significant slope at the moment it starts moving, the maximum permitted speed for such modes is less than 40 km/h;
“D3” - if necessary, move down a small hill;
“S”, “W”, “*”, “Hold”, “Winter” - winter mode, for starting and driving on snow with a reduced probability of slipping of the drive wheels.

After releasing the brake pedal, the car will begin to move even without pressing the accelerator (gas) pedal.

In severe frosts, before driving after a long period of parking in a cold place, it is necessary to allow the engine and transmission to warm up for 6-10 minutes.

How to brake with an automatic engine

With automatic transmissions, you can use engine braking, but this process differs from manual transmissions.

To apply engine braking, depending on the conditions, you must select the following selector positions:

if there is an “O/D” button at a speed below 110 km/h, it can be pressed to smoothly brake the engine and limit the speed to 80 km/h;
“L”, “D1” or “D2” when driving off-road with descents and ascents at a large angle, these modes allow you to use maximum power and limit the speed to 20-50 km/h (L, D1), 40-80 km/h h(D2);
“D3” - movement up to 3rd gear at speeds up to 100-110 km/h;

How to use the handbrake

The manufacturer indicates that it is necessary to use the parking brake even in the selector position “P”

The main points for using the handbrake are:

the need for additional securing of the car when parked with the engine running, especially when leaving the vehicle;
the need to securely secure the vehicle in case of installing a spare wheel and other minor repairs;
when stopping on a surface with a large inclination angle to avoid the selector being knocked out of the “P” position due to the heavy load on the drive wheels.

Before starting to drive, it is necessary to check the parking brake to avoid trying to start driving with the parking brake applied.

What not to do with automatic transmission

Despite the fact that an automatic transmission seems easy to operate and is designed to make driving easier, there are still restrictions and prohibitions, adhering to which, the automatic transmission will last a long time and without complaints.

Restrictions and prohibitions when driving with an automatic transmission:

Driving with a cold automatic transmission should be smooth, the first 6-10 km at low speed. It is necessary to warm up the automatic transmission even at positive ambient temperatures, and in sub-zero temperatures it should be warmed up for at least 10 minutes.
A car with an automatic transmission is not designed to transport large loads, although a trailer can be used, but only a light one, and it is better to avoid towing other vehicles, except in emergency situations.
Under no circumstances should you start a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission from a pusher.
It is permissible to turn off the engine only in the selector position “P”.
When stopping for a short time (in a traffic jam, at a traffic light) to extend the life of the automatic transmission, it is not recommended to move the selector to “P” or “N”.
While the vehicle is moving, under no circumstances should the selector be moved to the “R” and “P” positions.
If it is necessary to stop on an inclined surface, the car must initially be secured using the parking brake, after which it is allowed to move the selector to the “P” position to avoid the selector leaving this position due to the significant load on the drive wheels.
The “N” mode is intended only for towing vehicles to the repair site; under no circumstances should they be driven downhill in this mode.

Driving automatic

Many drivers still prefer cars with a manual transmission - it is more reliable, easier to maintain and allows you to get a driving thrill. In addition, if you study “mechanics” at a driving school, then the “AT” mark is not placed on your driver’s license. That is, you can drive a car with any type of transmission. However, despite all these features, an increasing number of Russians are switching to models with automatic transmission. Including because the number of female drivers is growing in our country - and they largely form the “fifth column” of automatic transmission lovers.

However, driving a car with an automatic transmission has a lot of challenges due to the fact that it does not have a clutch pedal. It was replaced by a torque converter, and the choice of gear ratio depends on the type of driving, speed limit and other factors. And even though the driver’s participation in the gear shifting process is reduced to a minimum, you need to listen to advice that will extend the life of this expensive unit.

Basic modes

Any mode in the automatic transmission is marked with a letter on the gear shift lever.

Neutral gear ( N ) . Driving in neutral is strictly limited - it can only be used during towing or to move the car a short distance within a car service center. Moreover, the engine must be turned on, because it is from it that the automatic transmission receives its allotted portion of oil. Some drivers who switched from manual models out of habit put the automatic transmission in N mode during short stops, at traffic lights and in traffic jams. They also believe that coasting in neutral helps save fuel. This is absolutely not true - many experiments have been conducted to refute this thesis. In addition, after descending, the driver still has to switch to the main mode D, which causes additional load on the automatic transmission.

In general, car manufacturers set the N mode to a certain number of on/off switches, and if this limit is exceeded, individual components of the box gradually begin to fail. Of course, the unit will not fall apart, but the totality of small and medium-sized repairs will cost a pretty penny.

Basic mode ( D ). Automatic driving is done with it. Speeds switch automatically, everything is clear here.

Reverse gear (R) can only be activated after the vehicle has come to a complete stop. As in the case of a manual transmission, it is strictly prohibited to turn on this mode while moving forward - otherwise not only the gearbox itself, but also individual elements of the engine and transmission may fail.

First gear only (L). A mode used for driving on bad roads or off-road. Moreover, if the car is traveling at a speed of more than 15 km/h, switching to L is unacceptable.

Only the first 2 gears (2). Used at speeds up to 80 km/h to tow another car or drive along a winding mountain road.

Parking mode (P) blocks the drive wheels, so it is used during long stops or when the driver leaves the car. To deactivate this mode on a flat road, you need to press the brake pedal and move the automatic transmission lever. If the vehicle is parked on a slope, the handbrake is applied. To activate the mode, hold down the brake pedal, tighten the handbrake, release the brake pedal and activate “P”. Removal occurs by moving the lever to driving mode, holding the brake pedal and releasing the handbrake.

If you are just starting to drive, the automatic transmission immediately presents a surprise: starting to drive with a cold engine is strictly prohibited. To reach operating mode, this unit requires uniform oil distribution. And the colder it is outside, the longer it takes to warm up - even with slight frost it will take at least 10 minutes.

“N” or “P” - only in these modes is it possible to start the engine. Moreover, “P” is more preferable. To start, you need to move the lever to the desired position and wait for a slight push. Until this moment, pressing the gas pedal, especially sharply, is highly not recommended.

There are few rules in this case, and to stop, you just need to press the brake pedal. Also, driving a car (automatic) assumes that:

It is recommended to turn on “neutral” when parking for half a minute or more. At the same time, you must not release the brake, otherwise you risk hitting other cars;

when stopping for a long time on the highway, you need to switch to “P” mode - this will allow you to relax your right leg;

To stop before an intersection, pedestrian crossing or traffic light, you just need to press the brake pedal while driving in “D” mode.

A car with an automatic transmission, the driving of which is associated with many restrictions compared to cars with a manual transmission, is capable of acting as a vehicle towed by another. However, such towing is limited to a range of 50 km, as well as a speed of up to 50 km/h. That is, an hour of operation under load is the limit of the technical capabilities of the automatic transmission. And a prerequisite is the engine is running and the “neutral” mode.

If the car acts as a leader, you need to consider that:

if it is possible to refuse towing, then it is better to take advantage of it;

the towed vehicle must be lighter in curb weight than the leading vehicle;

The automatic copes well with towing not very heavy trailers.

Launch from a tug

It is not known for certain whether it can cause an automatic transmission to start the engine from a tug.
However, remember: if you can’t start the engine with the key, tow truck services will be much cheaper than repairing an automatic transmission. To use this manipulation at your own risk, follow the instructions.

Place the lever in the “N” position and start the engine.

If towing in cold weather, step on the gas once and start towing the hitch.

On a cold transmission, reach a speed of 30 km/h (for a warm transmission - under 50 km/h) and do not take any action for several minutes. During this time, the oil pressure in the automatic transmission will approach the desired level.

Activate the mode of only two gears “2”.

If you feel that the engine is trying to start, press the gas once.

When the engine starts, return the lever to the neutral position.

If, a few seconds after pressing the gas pedal, the engine does not start, it is not recommended to try again, since such driving in an automatic transmission will cause the box to overheat. Primarily because you will still be driving in mode “2”. It is better to “drive” the unit again in neutral mode, and only then repeat the steps.

When to use the handbrake?

You simply cannot trust the car’s automation too much and refuse to use the handbrake. Especially during a long stop. In addition, the handbrake is recommended for:

stopping with the engine running;

changing wheels;

stopping on an incline.

Possible mistakes

Despite the long service life, automatic transmissions should be protected whenever possible. Therefore, listen to advice.

Driving with a heavy trailer is prohibited, but light trailers are allowed.

Until the transmission warms up, you need to move at low speed without accelerating. As a rule, warming up occurs after 6-10 km.

It is allowed to turn off the engine only in “P” mode.

It is unacceptable to push start the car.

Coasting down a slope in the “N” lever position is also prohibited. This mode is only suitable for towing.

Finally

This article does not mention additional automatic transmission modes indicated on the lever - sport mode, OverDrive, kick-down, etc. The fact is that driving an automatic transmission for beginners does not imply their use. Secondly, the OverDrive button can not be seen on all automatic transmissions. Finally, mastering additional modes is best done under the guidance of an experienced driver. If you don’t have such friends among your friends, use the services of private instructors who will teach you not only these skills, but also confident driving in any conditions.