Long stop in auto. Neutral? Park? Handbrake?

[TheInsanity1234]

How does bump-starting cause poisoning of the catalyst?

If the engine does not start immediately then unburnt fuel is ejected into the exhaust system where it can get into the catalyst. This can cause two problems, Firstly if it is left in the cat for any amount of time it can set into a varnish like substance that coats the tiny spaces in the honeycomb and stops them working properly or in diesels blocks them entirely. Secondly the next time the engine starts the hot exhaust gases can cause the build up to ignite inside the cat melting or shattering the very delicate honeycomb substrate.

It's not a problem if the car starts immediately but when you are bump starting, you generally don't know if it will or not, so it is best avoided, and when you compare the cost of a replacement cat with the cost of a set of jumpleads, one of those battery pack starters, or even recovery it should be clear it is not worth the risk.

There's something I didn't know!

[Astraist]

I always prefer to keep the power of the engine available until at least two cars (or one van or lorry) stop behind me, so sometimes I should remain in 'Drive' (or 'First' on a manual) and on the brakes, so I can pull forward and aside (achieved by stopping earlier or creeping forward slowly), away from any hazard behind me.

As mentioned earlier, putting a planetary automatic into 'Neutral' and back to 'Drive' for short intervals of time is frowned upon by manufacturers, as it is considered to put unnecessary wear on the clutches within the transmission. In an automated manual gearbox (a-la DSG) or CVT there is little wear from shifting to 'neutral' but due to the the nature of the gearbox it is needless on short stops.

Applying the handbrake (while in 'Drive') in those transmissions can be beneficial to reduce glare in night driving, but I am not entirely certain that it is mechanically sympathetic to all the different kinds of transmissions, as the footbrake is. Anyhow, I would position my foot over the brakes until I resume forward motion.

I wouldn't put the transmission into 'Park' for anything other than proper parking. 'Park' is essentially 'Neutral' with an additional locking pin behind the transmission, which is much less durable than the handbrake. Since you are applying the handbrake, 'Park' becomes needless.

[exportmanuk]

Hi

Just a note for auto handbrakes. All I have come across have a way of releasing it manually in case of a system failure. Usually something in the boot floor that allows you to unwind the brake shoes/pads. Of course you have to chock the wheels first.

The information should be in the hand book. If you're not sure remove the handbook from the glove box and then remove the protective wrapper from the book, go to the index usually near the back and look under Parking brake or Hand brake to be pointed to the relevant section. Simples

[michael769]

Hi

Just a note for auto handbrakes. All I have come across have a way of releasing it manually in case of a system failure. Usually something in the boot floor that allows you to unwind the brake shoes/pads. Of course you have to chock the wheels first.

The ripcord releases were common in original implementations that were still largely mechanical, unfortunately they are on their way to becoming a thing of the past.

In the latest versions (such as the current VAG implementation) the secondary brake cylinders are controlled electronically so there is no manual release and the only way to unwind the pistons is to use a VAG code reader to instruct the ECU to retract them - not much use if the ECU fails or there is no power to the electronics.

[jont]

In the latest versions (such as the current VAG implementation) the secondary brake cylinders are controlled electronically so there is no manual release and the only way to unwind the pistons is to use a VAG code reader to instruct the ECU to retract them - not much use if the ECU fails or there is no power to the electronics.

Jesus fscking wept.

So given the inherent software bugs in pretty much any system running software, how do these electronic handbrakes comply with the intent of having an emergency way of stopping the car?

[revian]

In the latest versions (such as the current VAG implementation) the secondary brake cylinders are controlled electronically so there is no manual release and the only way to unwind the pistons is to use a VAG code reader to instruct the ECU to retract them - not much use if the ECU fails or there is no power to the electronics.

Jesus fscking wept.

So given the inherent software bugs in pretty much any system running software, how do these electronic handbrakes comply with the intent of having an emergency way of stopping the car?

Plus 19 for the comment on software bugs
Minus too many to count on your opener... do you have to?

[TheInsanity1234]

In the latest versions (such as the current VAG implementation) the secondary brake cylinders are controlled electronically so there is no manual release and the only way to unwind the pistons is to use a VAG code reader to instruct the ECU to retract them - not much use if the ECU fails or there is no power to the electronics.

Jesus fscking wept.

So given the inherent software bugs in pretty much any system running software, how do these electronic handbrakes comply with the intent of having an emergency way of stopping the car?

Well, it must be a brilliant advance if it uses electricity to do what a lever used to do.

[waremark]

Use of the parking brake for short halts may be satisfactory in some autos but certainly not in all.

With foot applied parking brakes it can be impossible to either apply or release the parking brake silently. Release can involve awkwardly leaning forward. In other cars transitioning from foot brake to parking brake causes an unpleasant lurch. Use of Park can be a satisfactory alternative to allow you to relax from the footbrake once the situation behind is stable.

Unlike most of you, In an auto I prefer use of an electronic parking brake to a manually applied one. It is tidy and takes up less space in the interior, it auto releases when I engage gear with my foot on the foot brake, and it has an emergency braking mode (you read how to engage that in the handbook, didn't you?). While it obviously could go wrong, I expect it is less likely to cause trouble than a manual parking brake with a cable which can fail and which gets out of adjustment.

In my manual car, the gear lever is on the left and the handbrake on the right. How is the hand shuffle supposed to work for a hill start from neutral? Incidentally, the handbrake lever also sits in the same position (down) when the brake is applied as when it is released. That sometimes confuses me.

[TheInsanity1234]

...
In my manual car, the gear lever is on the left and the handbrake on the right. How is the hand shuffle supposed to work for a hill start from neutral? Incidentally, the handbrake lever also sits in the same position (down) when the brake is applied as when it is released. That sometimes confuses me.

That confused me Could you elaborate?

[waremark]

...
In my manual car, the gear lever is on the left and the handbrake on the right. How is the hand shuffle supposed to work for a hill start from neutral? Incidentally, the handbrake lever also sits in the same position (down) when the brake is applied as when it is released. That sometimes confuses me.

That confused me Could you elaborate?

Confusion all round then! Visit an Aston showroom and fiddle with the handbrake, you will see what I mean.

[TheInsanity1234]

...
In my manual car, the gear lever is on the left and the handbrake on the right. How is the hand shuffle supposed to work for a hill start from neutral? Incidentally, the handbrake lever also sits in the same position (down) when the brake is applied as when it is released. That sometimes confuses me.

That confused me Could you elaborate?

Confusion all round then! Visit an Aston showroom and fiddle with the handbrake, you will see what I mean.

Did you mean that the gear lever is to the right of the handbrake in the middle?

[revian]

From memory ... The Vauxhall Victor FB series had the handbrake on the right ...not a lever in the typical way but a handle to pull straight up/ release straight back down a tube.

[waremark]

...
In my manual car, the gear lever is on the left and the handbrake on the right. How is the hand shuffle supposed to work for a hill start from neutral? Incidentally, the handbrake lever also sits in the same position (down) when the brake is applied as when it is released. That sometimes confuses me.

Did you mean that the gear lever is to the right of the handbrake in the middle?

No, the gear lever is on the centre console in the normal position. The handbrake is to your right between the driver's seat and the door. The way the handbrake works is also unusual in that the lever sits in its 'down' position whether the handbrake is applied or released. To release the handbrake you pull the lever up to the top of its travel to engage the mechanism before pressing in the button and lowering it again. Applying the handbrake is conventional until you release the button, when the lever detaches from the mechanism, and the lever drops down to the floor.

[TripleS]

Park is generally not so good because normally you have to get to it via Reverse, which can frighten the person behind. Oh, and opinions vary, but some would say relying on the transmission brake in Park is lazy and not really secure, if on a slope.

That brief flash of reversing lights used to be a problem, but I have heard that the newer automatics now have a delay built in, so the reversing lights don't come on unless you leave the transmission selector in the reverse position.

[TripleS]

In some cars I have used Park, after checking that the reverse lights do not flash if you move straight through the R position. In our current auto cars I keep my foot on the footbrake, because they have stop/start and doing it in other ways causes the engine to start again. In cars which release the parking brake when you accelerate, I have found that this is not a completely smooth way to start, and I prefer to release the parking brake with my foot on the foot brake, then release the foot brake for the smoothest start, before accelerating.

Similarly, with Stop/Start, I generally start the engine by touching the accelerator while my left foot is holding the footbrake, before moving off in the same way.

This all makes me wonder if some of this fancy gadgetry is actually making cars easier, or more difficult, to drive. Individual models sound to be presenting a variety of quirks that need to be understood and used effectively.

Oh for a simple life....motoring-wise, and generally.