Thanks for watching - if you found this video interesting then please subscribe to our channel and click the bell to be notified of our next video! This video includes; * 0:05 Introduction * 1:18 Don’t press the brake and accelerator at the same time * 2:15 Don’t select park before the car stops * 2:48 Don’t rev the engine before selecting drive * 3:22 Don’t select reverse before the car stops * 4:00 Don’t coast down hills in neutral * 5:02 Don’t use low gears unless needed * 6:15 Summary
But...but what about a brake torque launch. When you spin up the engine in drive by holding the brake down to spin up the torque converter and turbo if your car has one.
How will cruising downhill in neutral cause damage to the gearbox (not that I would do that)? As long as you stop before putting it in drive again damage shouldn't be caused. I am only asking as I am about to get an automatic and would like to know as much as possible.
I can see the logic if the same principle applies to not being allowed to be towed in neutral, this I didn't know. So if you break down, you have to be recovered rather than being towed?
Thank you, I’m glad you have uploaded this. My instructor has taught me to use just the one foot for driving an automatic, so I definitely won’t press both pedals together
This is entirely wrong : you should correctly use your left foot to brake and right for the accelerator ; this gives much more control and leads on to more advanced techniques .
@@derekheeps1244you should only use the left foot on the brake if you're doing something that absolutely needs you to have that much control, like track racing and such. Its easy to mess something up if you have to worry about controlling both feet in a stressful situation rather than just rotating your right foot Braking while pressing the throttle might also hurt your car's long term lifespan
I managed to slip the gearbox from drive to park by accident before I had stopped.. Lets just say I have never heard such an awful noise! Scared the life out of me! Stupid mistake but not one il make again!
For automatic cars, we HAVE to use only one foot for driving. Those who are using both feet are wrong right from the beginning. They need to fix their habit.
I agree. I have seen, far to often, drivers who obviously drive with their left foot resting on the brake pedal and causing the 'stop lamps' to be illuminated constantly.
Under certain circumstances such as manoeuvring in tight spaces (ask any car mechanic) and assuming you understand the technology and know what you're doing, it is appropriate to use the left foot for braking.
I found this video quite helpful, driven a manual car for over 40 years and just bought an automatic Mini. Took a bit of getting used to but with some practice, getting there but would never have known how to accelerate quickly when overtaking without watching this. Thanks!
I passed my test a few weeks ago in an automatic. The way automatics are able to creep in traffic is so useful. I have to admit when I first did hill starts in my own car (107 auto with no hill assist and fairly weak creep) my natural instinct was to left foot brake, it was really jumpy and i didn't feel in control at all so started to gauge the 'biting point' against the hand brake and haven't had a problem since!
You SHOULD use your left foot to brake and right to accelerate ; two feet correspond to two pedals - you have two feet and presumably don't hop along the footpath , so why drive with one foot .
@@derekheeps1244 uuuuh.... what? No... One foot to control both pedals, you should never have both feet on the pedals, when you accelerate you don't break, and when you break you don't accelerate, one foot is used.
Why the need to left-foot brake? When doing a hill-start, you wouldn't use the footbrake at all. You'd use the handbrake. In a manual, the three controls are clutch, handbrake and accelerator, and you coordinate letting up the clutch, applying power and releasing the handbrake to set off smoothly. In an automatic, it's just the handbrake and accelerator that you need to use. But never the footbrake for either transmission - that requires three feet in a manual or else left-foot braking (which I NEVER do) in an automatic. You haven't lived until you've had to do a hill-start in an unfamiliar car on a 1:3 hill such as Rosedale Chimney near me, because the car in front has ground to a halt ;-) I always leave a long gap behind the car in front on that hill, and stop as soon as I see the car ahead is in difficulties, to allow plenty of room for him to roll back. I once got behind a car that was rolling back several feet each time he tried to set off - and when he was getting perilously close after using up all my safety distance, I got worried. I parked, got out, and asked if he needed any help. He was panicking, so I offered to drive his car to the top. I think he was quite impressed that I could get into an unfamiliar car with unknown clutch bite position, and petrol rather than the diesel that I'm used to, and set off almost flawlessly - OK, I stalled first time but I didn't roll back because I kept the handbrake on until I felt the car want to move forward. Setting off in my own car after that was a great deal easier, mainly because diesels have so much more low-speed torque that you can set off without needing to rev then engine as high when setting off on a very steep gradient.
This is mostly a lot of utter rubbish and misinformation . As a former police advanced driver and instructor , and still current emergency responder , I know better . You actually do need in some occasions to apply a little power before releasing the brakes if doing a hill start , either forwards or in reverse . More significantly , if exploiting the performance of the car and wishing to balance the car on power through a bend on fast roads , one will apply power during the braking phase on approach to a bend in order to bring in a part throttle downshift and then transition smoothly from braking to accelerating through and out of a bend - leaving the box to its own devices and allowing it to downshift in the middle of a bend will destabilise a car and can be disastrous . There are many occasions where intermediate gears should properly be used , including descending long and steep hills where extended braking is undesirable , or when towing and , just as in a manual vehicle , use of a lower gear puts less stress on the drivetrain . If crawling along in slow moving traffic , selecting a lower gear can keep slow and steady progress without needing to hold back with the brakes , especially if your car won't shift below second without manual intervention . Selecting first manually in a Mercedes-Benz also allows for a smooth take off in first as the vehicle will otherwise start in second unless kick down is applied - and that is not smooth . It is indeed bad to try to select park whilst still in motion - most boxes will not permit this , but if you do it , it will shear the parking pawl , which is an expensive , or at least labour intensive repair . As for selecting reverse whilst in forward motion , this is NOT an absolute : Mercedes-Benz automatic boxes permit this at up to 15mph in either direction ; this technique is valuable if 'rocking' a car back and forth to get out of snow or mud where the rear wheels have sunk in . As for coasting down hills - this is not good driving , but it does no harm to the gearbox , and is actually one method of starting the car if the battery is flat : roll down a hill or tow the car in neutral up to a speed of around 30 mph , then select drive - the engine will then turn over . It is also permissible to tow an automatic Mercedes-Benz for up to 30 miles at speeds of up to 30 mph without disconnecting the propellor shaft if the vehicle will not run . Mercedes-Benz is one of the few manufacturers who actually build their own automatic gearboxes , and design them with an auxiliary fluid pump actuated from the output side of the gearbox to ensure hydraulic fluid still circulates and provides lubrication without the engine running - lesser engineered and inferior makes do not have this facility - hence the common misconception that automatic vehicles cannot be towed . This is in no way harmful to the gearbox : all my cars ( I only drive Mercedes-Benz ) routinely go well beyond 200,000 miles without problems , and I kept one almost to half a million miles on its original gearbox with only routine filter and fluid changes , which I do myself at specified intervals .
I have dyspraxia. And because of the coordination, I feel I would be better in an automatic when doing my 12 ETD lessons. I have tried a manual car with my dad and just by doing it once with all the coordinating I feel Id be suited for automatic. Thank you for these tips. It's also much easier to start an automatic car. You hold down the break then take your foot off and it drives slowly and then slowly put the gas on
The word is brake , not break , and often you DO need to apply power in order to move off ; also many smaller engined automatics will roll back on hills if not held on the brakes .
I find it harder to set off smoothly in an automatic because I am used to a combination of increasing throttle and letting in clutch to control how fast I set off; in an automatic there is only the throttle to control the speed. Manoevring at very low speed is also more difficult because the car tends to stay still until the engine is runnign faster enough when the transmission suddenly starts moving the car - especially on an uphill which is too steep for creep to start moving the car, without any throttle, as soon as you release the brake. In very slow traffic (eg a stop-start queue), in a manual I tend to keep my foot off the throttle and with the engine idling, let the clutch up briefly in the appropriate speed (1st or 2nd) to nudge the car forward, if I need to go slower than the car will go in that gear when the engine is idling. In an automatic there's the problem that the car may creep too quickly even with in throttle, so you need to control it on the brake - which may disable the creep...
Hi. Would you do a video explaining the differences among different types of automatic gearboxes (CVT, dual clutch, automated manual transmission (AMT) and torque converter)?
To be honest we're probably not the best people to explain technical details like that. We are more concerned with how to drive the car, and this will be the same whatever type of auto box the car has. Thanks for the idea though!
You missed out fluid flywheel boxes as not all automatics have torque converters , as well as preselector automatic boxes ; dual clutch gearboxes ARE just automated manuals , as are the single clutch ones . Each of these do require to be driven slightly differently due to their different designs .
I recently purchased a used Citroen C1. I could have had a manual for around £8000 but chose the automatic at £10,000. I've had 26 cars; 50% manual and 50% automatic. I would never go back to manual despite the price difference. However, I think learners should choose manual then they have the option to drive either.
Thanks so much for the video its so clear how its explained so people's cars arent worn out quicker by getting into bad habits, tbh it makes sense to follow those steps as its generally safer and stopping fully first and checking is a safer way to pull away and reverse so the automatics in a way are making you go through things step by step rather than rushing through it
Only inferior or neglected cars will wear out . I have cars up to 66 years old still running like new and have had one with 470,000 miles , still on original engine and automatic gearbox , until a woman crashed into it while parked on my driveway ( after demolishing my garden wall in the process ) thus writing it off ; otherwise it would most likely be somewhere between 750,000 and a million miles by now ( that incident was back in 2006 ) . Any car , properly maintained , will last indefinitely .
Driving 38 years a manual car in Indian traffic which is extremely complicated and chaotic I was advised to move to AMT because i had issues with my left leg.I was not able to find an automatic car for demo and blindly bought a New Toyota Glanza ( Suzuki Baleno ) which is parked in the car port for the last 6 days. This morning i finally had the courage and took the car early morning to fill gas and everything went crazy. I know I'm not supposed to use both legs but by reflex used the left leg on the brake. It happened thrice until it hit my head that i should not use the left leg and i was able to drive for around 2 kms and returned home safe. Im 62 years old and makes me regret whether i took a wrong decision going in for an automatic. Would i be able to get used to an automatic ? Ive been watching a few videos of " advanced driving school " and pray that i would be able to manage an automatic. Its nice to see the car used by you is a Suzuki Swift.
I am sure that you will get used to an automatic car eventually. Practice when the roads are quieter, and to start with use your right foot for both pedals - as you would in a manual car. Good luck!
hill starts in an automatic are different to in manuals as they don't roll back and also the parking brake coming on once you select 'drive' and then coming on when you go into 'park'. I drove a manual for 25yrs and am glad I was persuraded to get an auto as I wasn't convinced until i was told all electric cars are automatic and i figured when i change my car in 4yrs i'll be in my 60s and find the change harder. Happy driving everyone!!
Oh wow! The very fact a video of such basic common sense driving an auto box is needed really says something about the brains of a good slice of the population. I guess some folk just do zero research on how things work. I mean who would force a car into ‘Park’ or reverse whilst it is still going, and who uses two feet on the pedals? There must be some real morons out there..sheesh! In fact…no…don’t let them see this..Let them grenade their gearbox then maybe next time they will develop some mechanical sympathy huh!
An issue with selecting N when descending long hills i.e. coasting, is that there is a risk that the engine may stall meaning loss of power braking and power steering.
The only good thing about automatic is driving in traffic either than that it's not suitable to my personality ,I am kind inpatient ,I might ruin the gearbox
Look, how can you select Neutral again downhills (while driving). It is possible? NO.because the car is moving already, so to select Neutral you needs to press brake and select Neutral, that's impossible.
Actually if you press the brake pedal lightly you can select neutral without stopping the car. On some other cars you only need to press a button on the gear stick and it will allow you to select neutral without slowing down at all! Either way, we shouldn’t do this as it gives us less control.
Thanks for another excellent video. However, I would like to point out that the DSG gearbox on my Skoda Superb actually lets the vehicle coast (freewheel) downhill whilst in "Eco" drive mode provided the accelerator or brake pedals are not touched. Presumably this feature is designed to aid fuel economy. However, in practice is all too easy for the car to coast faster and faster until the speed limit is exceeded and your licence is in danger of getting hammered. I therefore tend to stick to the "normal" drive mode which still gives me 50+ mpg on a run.
My Audi A1 does this but it can be controlled; if you ease off the accelerator gently the transmission slips into neutral but if you let off more abruptly it stays in gear. It always goes for the highest possible gear, but does change down if you brake on a steep hill. When it’s in neutral at speed you only have to touch the brake or accelerator to reengage drive. Apart from not having to move a lever about it’s nearly as complicated as a manual!
I doubt very much whether any modern transmission would be designed to coast (ie disengage engine from road wheels) during overrun - eg when going down a hill - because with fuel injection, it uses less fuel to remain in gear. If the wheels are driving the engine, the engine management unit can cut the fuel completely because none is needed to keep the engine idling. If you press the clutch - or the transmission does the same - a small amount of fuel is needed to keep the engine idling, because the wheels are not doing that job. I can see the instantaneous fuel consumption (on the trip computer) on my car shows 999 mpg (effectively no fuel being used) if I lift off the power and stay in gear, whereas it shows around 200 mpg if I press the clutch because a small amount of fuel is needed in the latter case.
when teaching the wife to drive an auto. coming from a manual. she could not get the hang of it. so I had her sit on her left leg. that done the trick she is now very happy.
Or at least tuck your left leg under the seat to avoid the temptation to use it for braking. I've never felt the slightest urge to left-foot brake - I don't do it in a manual so why would it cross my mind to do it in an automatic? When I first drove my dad's automatic jsut after I'd passed my test, I did instinctively try to use it to change gear (forgetting that I didn't need to change) but that's different. You only touch the footbrake once with the force you'd use to press the clutch - after that you tend to remember not to do it ;-)
i am new to automatic i have ford fiest sport or S and i was driving motorway using S and 6gear after i slow down to rounabout i lost control of my car never enough power to go..cost me almost acccident can you explain this pls
What do you mean by S and 6th gear? Perhaps that is 'manual mode' for your car and would explain the poor acceleration. Does the same thing happen in D mode?
Well done! Of course, the Leaf doesn’t have an engine at all. In practice the general advice is wise. My own experience is that of a Toyota Hybrid (i.e. with an engine via an eCVT gearset and traction motor in tandem). Toyota (in the manual) advises that N should not be used for long, as it disconnects battery charging. I normally only use it so as to switch off the reversing lights when required around car parks etc, and sometimes use P in long stops in traffic queues. During short stops it stays in D, albeit with the brake lights on. When releasing the brake the car ‘crawls forward’ on the level; it’s always the traction motor that starts the car - sometimes the engine is used, sometimes not (automatically). It’s immune from ‘rolling backwards’ on hill starts as well. It also has a manual selection of engine braking (B) on long steep falling gradients, mostly to avoid fully charging the traction battery.
Thanks for your comment. The Leaf was an ideal car to film this video with, as since it is fully electric it is immune to damage from any of these bad habits!
If you learn and pass your test in a manual car, you can just get into an automatic and drive it. Apart from the gearbox, everything else is exactly the same. 👍🏼
Perhaps try driving on there where there is very little traffic, such as on a Sunday morning. If that doesn’t work then why not book a refresher lesson with a local driving instructor?
Forgot to mention, that if you choose to engine break by manualy downshifting, do so ONLY ON DRY surface. As on Ice or during rain your wheels may briefly lock and send you in to a spin.
You should select the lower gear BEFORE you begin to descend the hill ; this will avoid that issue ; however if you are caught out on an unfamiliar road , then gently apply the brakes with left foot and bring the revs up with right foot to match the road speed as you manually select the intermediate gear , and this will not happen . Incidentally , the word is BRAKE .
My driving instructor haven't taught me reverse parking and I have my pratical test tomorrow. All he taught was forward bay parking and the other maneuvers. Do you think that's ok?
Perhaps your instructor knows that your test centre doesn’t do the Reverse Bay Parking manoeuvre, so hasn’t bothered to teach it to you. I’d ask them about why that is, as it is a useful skill to have after your test.
I would advise (in the UK, at least) to try if possible to pass in a manual car, even if you intend to drive automatic only after that. That way you are legally allowed to drive a manual if you ever need to, whereas passing in an automatic only allows you to drive automatic.
Coasting in N is by far NOT the same as towing. Towing is not allowed is because many transmissions need the engine running to get lubrication. Usually you are towing because the engine does not run, so in that case the transmission internals would operate dry. If the engine is running, the oil gets pumped through the system, so there is no damage risk from that at all. But nonetheless the other arguments why to not coast at N are valid (limited control, higher brake load, extra fuel consumption because at N the engine needs fuel to keep operating while when coasting in gear it cuts the fuel off completely). And the "never press both gas and brake at the same time" is valid only in a limited way (for normal starts at level ground). When you need to start really quickly, this is actually way less stressing and safer than slamming D in while the engine is revving. But when you have to do it is at steep hills, when the transmission does not hold the car from backing down the hill. Mainly DCTs are very bad: The transmission releases clutches completely when stopped with brakes on (to not wear them out when stopped), so then they need time to engage back once you release the brake. And this time there is nothing holding the car, so it rolls back. The correct procedure is either use an AutoHold feature when present (not all cars have it), or hold the brake while pushing the gas and release the brake once you feel the clutch has engaged. Of course, doing that for longer than that second or so is wearing the clutch, but the second or so is no more stress than a normal start. And with a torque converter there is no wear whatsoever, the transmission load is exactly the same as when accelerating. You are only warming up the oil in the transmission (so yes, if you would be staying like that for an hour or so you may definitely overheat the oil), for the few seconds the thermal mass is far enough to not cause any issue. So pressing both is not an issue unless used excessively and carelessly.
Thank fully. I'm not doing any of these things! But I wanted to check! ❤thank you. Great video. Passed past summer and drove to Manchester for the first time last week!
In the video you say: "don't shift from drive to reverse before the car has fully stopped" but at minute 3:37 we can see the driver shifting to reverse while the car is still in forward movement. 🙄
It depends on your preference - most people just stay in Drive with their foot on the brake. However you could select Park and release the foot brake, or select Neutral and use the hand brake. There is no right or wrong really. 👍🏼
1:18 Don’t press the brake and accelerator at the same time aka. don't listen to those stupid TikTok videos that tell you that it will make a screenshot of the stuff you see in your windshielf ;)
Came here because I’m starting lessons today in an automatic. Guy is literally driving around my hometown and goes past my old house in the video! Huh.
Most cars will use more fuel in neutral than in gear. Cause in neutral the engine has to use fuel to keep going, but in gear the wheels will turn the engine.
My advice would be that automatics are easier, but do require a different style of driving. I find I end up "fighting" the automatic's tendency to change down when I call for more power, in a situation where in a manual I'd stay in the gear I'm already in and just increase the power until I've finshed accelerating and would change up as I came off the power - it avoids an unexpected gearchange and hence a different "mapping" between throttle position and acceleration - something which you instinctively learn to correct for in a manual but I find very difficult to do when the damn automatic changes when I don't want it to. I have yet to master accelerating briskly but smoothly out of a roundabout in an automatic ;-) I would always choose a manual over an automatic, though I'd be interested to try a DSG which allows manual control over *when* the gearchanges occur (assuming you use it in manual mode) but takes away the need to rev-match to achieve a smooth change. I really don't like the vague woolly feel where there is a lot of latitude between varying the engine speed and starting to feel the road speed change, caused by the torque converter. I prefer the precision of the car having a fixed ratio between engine and road for any given gear. OK, I admit it: I'm probably a Luddite ;-)
is it at all a good idea to drive an automatic with the left foot on the break and the right food on the accelerator? or are there no benefits to this? really informative video also
There are advantages and disadvantages to using your left foot for braking in an automatic car, but there is no right or wrong. In the UK we usually use the right foot for both pedals, but in other countries it is taught the other way sometimes.
@@AdvanceDrivingSchool Left-foot braking is very much frowned on by advanced drivers (IAM and Police Class 1) - when I learned for my ordinary test, by instructor had been a Police instructor until he retired, and when I took my IAM test - both told me don't do it in an auto except when manoevring at low speed and you need to counter the car's tendency to move forward on creep or to surge forward suddenly as you increase power if creep isn't working properly. All other times, use the same foot for brake and accelerator so there's no temptation to press both pedals at the same time and no tendency to press the brake too hard if you are used to driving manual where your left foot has learned muscle-memory for big movements of the clutch rather than delicate movements of brake and accelerator. Only time I've left-footbraked was when driving a go-kart on my stag night because you are sitting astride the steering column which makes it impossible to use your right foot for both.
Thank you for this video very useful. I have 2 questions How do you drive automatic car in snow.?if you shouldn't use the break pedal? Cars without holder assist ( old cars)how you dealing to prevent the cars rolling back on up hill? Thank you
You can use the brakes in snow, but we must be very very gentle to avoid skidding. The creep function of auto cars should be enough to prevent the car rolling back on hills before pulling away.
"how you dealing to prevent the cars rolling back on up hill?" - use the handbrake as you would in a manual car and how you were taught (certainly in the UK).
There was something I thought might have been on this list but it wasn't. I learned to drive in a manual, have only ever owned manuals for over 20 years and hadn't ever driven an automatic until a few years ago when I was asked to drive somewhere in a company car. It was a VW Golf estate which turned out to be automatic. I did around 50 miles in it and on 2 occasions I was coming up to a junction or traffic, took my left foot off the floor in preparation for stepping on the clutch (which of course wasn't there) and promptly trod on the brake pedal instead. It was the hardest braking I've ever felt, a truly horrible surprise and people driving behind me weren't impressed either. If you've ever tried braking with your left foot you'll know what I mean. I couldn't help doing it, after years of driving in a certain way it's autonomous. It's probably not an issue if you've always driven automatics or a mixture of both but going from manual to auto was hard for me.
I have been using both feet in automatic cars for over 50 years ; after a short while it becomes second nature and I can actually go from auto to manual without even thinking about it - I must now have easily covered over two million miles as I typically cover upwards of 100000 miles a year between work and personal driving . Prior to having cars with ABS , I also learned to use cadence braking with the left foot in automatics . It does not take long to learn the technique .
@@derekheeps1244 My instructor (ex Police Class 1 driving instructor) for my normal test, and my "observer" (ie instructor) for my IAM test both deplored the idea of left-foot braking except when manoevring very slowly. Mainly it was because it is dangerous if the automatic is being driving by a driver who is used to driving a manual, when his left foot will have developed muscle-memory for making large clutch movements, and will instinctively do this with the brake which needs the more delicate movement that you also use for the accelerator. Also, it encourages the driver to press both brake and accelerator at the same time, which of course is impossible (barring heel-and-toe!) if you use your right foot for both pedals. As regards cadence braking, when I tried it on a non-ABS car as a practice, I found I couldn't press the pedal rapidly enough to make it useful, and in an emergency, the instinct is to hit the footbrake as hard as possible, not to pulse the pedal while also trying to steer round the hazard. One thing I was taught for the IAM test was "progressive braking" - apply the footbrake gently at high speed, gradually increasing the pressure as the speed reduces, and then ease off the footbrake almost to the point that it is no longer applied, as the car comes to a halt. Too many people jam on the bootbrake at high speed and keep it on until the car has lurched to an abrupt stop. I'd find it very difficult now *not* to brake progessively. I'm surprised it isn't taught for the ordinary test - or wasn't when I took it in 1981. I was lucky that my instructor offered me a couple of post-test lessons on how to drive *well* as opposed to how to drive to satisfy the examiner. For example, don't change down sequentially through the gears (on a manual) but instead brake in the gear that you're in (maybe 5th or 6th), then change directly into the gear that you'll need to accelerate away again, missing out all the intermediate gears. Sequential changes were needed to pass the ordinary test in 1981, though I understand that the IAM way is now taught even for the ordinary test. He also took me to a nearby motorway and gave me a few tips on joining the motorway and reading the road ahead and the door mirror to judge when to pull out to overtake - not too early and take ages to reach the vehicle that you're overtaking, and not so late that a car in Lane 2 is blocking you from pulling out. He advised me that when I'm approaching an entry slip road (when I'm on the motorway) try to change from Lane 1 to Lane 2 to create space for a car to join in Lane 1; failing that, ease off the power slightly (no need to touch the brake, often) to create a space ahead of me for him to move into.
Thank god. i with the titltle dont press the brake and accelerator at the same time - I got anxious. BUT then I realised that it is ONLY for PULLING OFF. WHEN your DRIVING its FINE
The problem I find in automatic cars is accelerating smoothly out of a roundabout. In a manual, I would have chosen my gear in advance and mentally applied the right amount of power for that gear. In my manual 1.6 HDi diesel car, I am used to approaching in (for example) 6th, braking to the right speed to negotiate the roundabout (let's assume there's nothing from the right that I need to give way to), changing into 3rd as I'm about to accelerate, and then holding that gear as I go round it and accelerate out, maybe changing up during the acceleration (in which case I very briefly ease off the power during the gearchange and then apply a new level of power for the higher gear). In an automatic I find I am fighting the transmission - as I increase the accelerator, it drops into too low a gear, so the car surges forwards, so I ease off the power and it changes up and I get too little acceleration, so I apply a bit more and it changes down - rinse and repeat. Automatics are find for the process of changing gear, as long as I the driver can choose what gear and *when*.
The standard creep function that is built in to almost all automatics should stop the car rolling back on a hill, so no 'Hill Assist' function (as found in newer manual cars) is needed.
Being old-school, I don't like to trust hill-start assist in either manual or automatic, for fear that the car will roll backwards (maybe an unfounded fear!!), so I do it the way I was taught and have done for 40-odd years: hold the car on the handbrake while applying power (and also letting the clutch up in a manual) until the car "wants" to move forward and the brake is no longer needed. My own car doesn't have HSA, but my wife's newer Honda does. I suppose I should find myself a hill when there's no-one behind and prove to myself how well HSA works, so I can convince myself that it works, in a situation where it doesn't matter if the car *does* happen to roll back ;-) I suppose I'm so used to the clutch-handbrake-accelerator method that I don't *need* HSA - and perhaps (snobbishly!) think it's for people who can't master the proper method that I've done all my driving life.
Hopefully you passed first time, unlike me. It took me three goes, because I was unlucky enough to draw the Bastard Examiner From Hell for my first test (seriously: all the instructors complained to the head examiner at the centre because this guy failed people who woul have passed with anyone else and he was angry and obnoxious if you asked him to clarify an inctruction). My next door neighbour is the only person I know who he passed and he said (or so I was told) "I am very sorry to have to tell you that I cannot find sufficient reason to fail you so against my better judgement I am required to pass you". There's no call for snide, vindictive comments like that. And I failed the second time when reversing around a corner because a car appeared behind me on the road I was reversing from (it appeared from round a corner after I;d checke that it was safe to begin - a bad place to do the reversing test!). I stopped, checked that other the car stopped as well, and then continued, whereas the examiner said I should have stayed stopped, half way round the corner (even if the other car flashed me a "proceed") and should have waited (forever?) until the other car had overtaken me on the wrong side of the road. My instructor said that failure reason was factually wrong (and as an ex Police Class 1 instructor he should know) - he lodged a complaint but of course that doesn't reverse a failure. At least that examiner was human enough to apologise for not being able to give me an 18th birthday present of a pass slip - he noticed that the test was on my birthday. And then I passed third time. The head examiner did that test and he said "Ah, you had Mr X for your first test. I'm not surprised you failed. You might be interested to know he no longer works for us."
It’s impossible to say without being there - but perhaps you hadn’t selected drive when you released the handbrake, or possibly something else. Better luck next time 👍🏼
I have been driving a manual for 25 years. My partner has hybrid auto. I need to move it on and off the drive. This video helped alot. Although I still feel don't want to touch auto
I'm sure you will get used to it in no time. In case you haven't seen it, this video explains the basics: How to drive an Automatic Car: ua-cam.com/video/21rkscmavl4/v-deo.html 👍🏼
For some reason YT decided to put this onto my YT feed as I am learning to drive in an automatic. However, my wife drives a Nissan Leaf (the same generation of Leaf as shown in this video), so as soon as you said about not pressing the brake and accelerator together because it can damage the gearbox, I had to comment on that. Electric cars like this Nissan Leaf don't have a gearbox, they are all single gear driven, meaning it is impossible to damage them in the way described. I understand that the Leaf is only used for illustration purposes but it is slightly misleading.
Yes, we only had the Leaf available but wanted to show what not to do in normal automatic cars. Of course it meant we could do all the wrong things without any fear of actually causing damage! Good luck with your lessons 👍🏼
Thanks for watching - if you found this video interesting then please subscribe to our channel and click the bell to be notified of our next video! This video includes;
* 0:05 Introduction
* 1:18 Don’t press the brake and accelerator at the same time
* 2:15 Don’t select park before the car stops
* 2:48 Don’t rev the engine before selecting drive
* 3:22 Don’t select reverse before the car stops
* 4:00 Don’t coast down hills in neutral
* 5:02 Don’t use low gears unless needed
* 6:15 Summary
But...but what about a brake torque launch. When you spin up the engine in drive by holding the brake down to spin up the torque converter and turbo if your car has one.
How will cruising downhill in neutral cause damage to the gearbox (not that I would do that)? As long as you stop before putting it in drive again damage shouldn't be caused. I am only asking as I am about to get an automatic and would like to know as much as possible.
I can see the logic if the same principle applies to not being allowed to be towed in neutral, this I didn't know. So if you break down, you have to be recovered rather than being towed?
Passed first time in an auto on Friday..
Well done! 🚗😃
Congrats
Congratulations
Congratulations
How many lessons did you have? I’ve had 20 in a manual so far but I’m hoping to move to auto instead as my instructor is constantly letting me down
Thank you, I’m glad you have uploaded this. My instructor has taught me to use just the one foot for driving an automatic, so I definitely won’t press both pedals together
that is the correct way.
This is entirely wrong : you should correctly use your left foot to brake and right for the accelerator ; this gives much more control and leads on to more advanced techniques .
no it is NOT .@@bwghall1
@@derekheeps1244you should only use the left foot on the brake if you're doing something that absolutely needs you to have that much control, like track racing and such. Its easy to mess something up if you have to worry about controlling both feet in a stressful situation rather than just rotating your right foot
Braking while pressing the throttle might also hurt your car's long term lifespan
I managed to slip the gearbox from drive to park by accident before I had stopped.. Lets just say I have never heard such an awful noise! Scared the life out of me! Stupid mistake but not one il make again!
suzy herrington I done the same wheel come of the spring and made horrible noice burst the wheel had to wait for recovery
Wow scary
For automatic cars, we HAVE to use only one foot for driving. Those who are using both feet are wrong right from the beginning. They need to fix their habit.
We made a separate video about that:
Left Foot Braking An Auto: ua-cam.com/video/1X_z6OVcPeQ/v-deo.html
I agree. I have seen, far to often, drivers who obviously drive with their left foot resting on the brake pedal and causing the 'stop lamps' to be illuminated constantly.
Under certain circumstances such as manoeuvring in tight spaces (ask any car mechanic) and assuming you understand the technology and know what you're doing, it is appropriate to use the left foot for braking.
More videos about automatic please, for example tips for buying a automatic car ,.thank you.
No automatic I hate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!
@@Zahid_FBX
we are different.
we love automatic and we need more videos about it
@A. Noxsox omg I know right 🤦🏻♀️
@@Zahid_FBX Yeah when you’re stuck in traffic for an hour everyday you’ll start loving automatics lol
@@maddestruction1 omg and one freehand haha
Thanks for the video. As a manual driver myself, I'm learning to drive automatic and these tips should help me not to make these mistakes
Just passed my practical test. Your videos played key role to that and thanks alot.
Do you know when you pass your driving test, do you receive your full driving license within 3 weeks?
I found this video quite helpful, driven a manual car for over 40 years and just bought an automatic Mini. Took a bit of getting used to but with some practice, getting there but would never have known how to accelerate quickly when overtaking without watching this. Thanks!
I've just purchased my first Automatic car Honda Insight, thank you so much for this video.
Yeah, a valuable "insight" of how NOT to drive an automatic car! As always, a very useful video indeed!
I’m starting my driving soon hopefully I can pass on auto quick seems simple and easy
Did u pass ?
I passed my test a few weeks ago in an automatic. The way automatics are able to creep in traffic is so useful. I have to admit when I first did hill starts in my own car (107 auto with no hill assist and fairly weak creep) my natural instinct was to left foot brake, it was really jumpy and i didn't feel in control at all so started to gauge the 'biting point' against the hand brake and haven't had a problem since!
You SHOULD use your left foot to brake and right to accelerate ; two feet correspond to two pedals - you have two feet and presumably don't hop along the footpath , so why drive with one foot .
@@derekheeps1244 uuuuh.... what? No... One foot to control both pedals, you should never have both feet on the pedals, when you accelerate you don't break, and when you break you don't accelerate, one foot is used.
Why the need to left-foot brake? When doing a hill-start, you wouldn't use the footbrake at all. You'd use the handbrake. In a manual, the three controls are clutch, handbrake and accelerator, and you coordinate letting up the clutch, applying power and releasing the handbrake to set off smoothly. In an automatic, it's just the handbrake and accelerator that you need to use. But never the footbrake for either transmission - that requires three feet in a manual or else left-foot braking (which I NEVER do) in an automatic.
You haven't lived until you've had to do a hill-start in an unfamiliar car on a 1:3 hill such as Rosedale Chimney near me, because the car in front has ground to a halt ;-) I always leave a long gap behind the car in front on that hill, and stop as soon as I see the car ahead is in difficulties, to allow plenty of room for him to roll back. I once got behind a car that was rolling back several feet each time he tried to set off - and when he was getting perilously close after using up all my safety distance, I got worried. I parked, got out, and asked if he needed any help. He was panicking, so I offered to drive his car to the top. I think he was quite impressed that I could get into an unfamiliar car with unknown clutch bite position, and petrol rather than the diesel that I'm used to, and set off almost flawlessly - OK, I stalled first time but I didn't roll back because I kept the handbrake on until I felt the car want to move forward. Setting off in my own car after that was a great deal easier, mainly because diesels have so much more low-speed torque that you can set off without needing to rev then engine as high when setting off on a very steep gradient.
This is mostly a lot of utter rubbish and misinformation . As a former police advanced driver and instructor , and still current emergency responder , I know better .
You actually do need in some occasions to apply a little power before releasing the brakes if doing a hill start , either forwards or in reverse .
More significantly , if exploiting the performance of the car and wishing to balance the car on power through a bend on fast roads , one will apply power during the braking phase on approach to a bend in order to bring in a part throttle downshift and then transition smoothly from braking to accelerating through and out of a bend - leaving the box to its own devices and allowing it to downshift in the middle of a bend will destabilise a car and can be disastrous .
There are many occasions where intermediate gears should properly be used , including descending long and steep hills where extended braking is undesirable , or when towing and , just as in a manual vehicle , use of a lower gear puts less stress on the drivetrain . If crawling along in slow moving traffic , selecting a lower gear can keep slow and steady progress without needing to hold back with the brakes , especially if your car won't shift below second without manual intervention . Selecting first manually in a Mercedes-Benz also allows for a smooth take off in first as the vehicle will otherwise start in second unless kick down is applied - and that is not smooth .
It is indeed bad to try to select park whilst still in motion - most boxes will not permit this , but if you do it , it will shear the parking pawl , which is an expensive , or at least labour intensive repair .
As for selecting reverse whilst in forward motion , this is NOT an absolute : Mercedes-Benz automatic boxes permit this at up to 15mph in either direction ; this technique is valuable if 'rocking' a car back and forth to get out of snow or mud where the rear wheels have sunk in .
As for coasting down hills - this is not good driving , but it does no harm to the gearbox , and is actually one method of starting the car if the battery is flat : roll down a hill or tow the car in neutral up to a speed of around 30 mph , then select drive - the engine will then turn over . It is also permissible to tow an automatic Mercedes-Benz for up to 30 miles at speeds of up to 30 mph without disconnecting the propellor shaft if the vehicle will not run . Mercedes-Benz is one of the few manufacturers who actually build their own automatic gearboxes , and design them with an auxiliary fluid pump actuated from the output side of the gearbox to ensure hydraulic fluid still circulates and provides lubrication without the engine running - lesser engineered and inferior makes do not have this facility - hence the common misconception that automatic vehicles cannot be towed .
This is in no way harmful to the gearbox : all my cars ( I only drive Mercedes-Benz ) routinely go well beyond 200,000 miles without problems , and I kept one almost to half a million miles on its original gearbox with only routine filter and fluid changes , which I do myself at specified intervals .
appreciate this
I have dyspraxia. And because of the coordination, I feel I would be better in an automatic when doing my 12 ETD lessons. I have tried a manual car with my dad and just by doing it once with all the coordinating I feel Id be suited for automatic. Thank you for these tips.
It's also much easier to start an automatic car. You hold down the break then take your foot off and it drives slowly and then slowly put the gas on
The word is brake , not break , and often you DO need to apply power in order to move off ; also many smaller engined automatics will roll back on hills if not held on the brakes .
I find it harder to set off smoothly in an automatic because I am used to a combination of increasing throttle and letting in clutch to control how fast I set off; in an automatic there is only the throttle to control the speed. Manoevring at very low speed is also more difficult because the car tends to stay still until the engine is runnign faster enough when the transmission suddenly starts moving the car - especially on an uphill which is too steep for creep to start moving the car, without any throttle, as soon as you release the brake. In very slow traffic (eg a stop-start queue), in a manual I tend to keep my foot off the throttle and with the engine idling, let the clutch up briefly in the appropriate speed (1st or 2nd) to nudge the car forward, if I need to go slower than the car will go in that gear when the engine is idling. In an automatic there's the problem that the car may creep too quickly even with in throttle, so you need to control it on the brake - which may disable the creep...
Hi. Would you do a video explaining the differences among different types of automatic gearboxes (CVT, dual clutch, automated manual transmission (AMT) and torque converter)?
To be honest we're probably not the best people to explain technical details like that. We are more concerned with how to drive the car, and this will be the same whatever type of auto box the car has. Thanks for the idea though!
You missed out fluid flywheel boxes as not all automatics have torque converters , as well as preselector automatic boxes ; dual clutch gearboxes ARE just automated manuals , as are the single clutch ones . Each of these do require to be driven slightly differently due to their different designs .
I recently purchased a used Citroen C1. I could have had a manual for around £8000 but chose the automatic at £10,000. I've had 26 cars; 50% manual and 50% automatic. I would never go back to manual despite the price difference. However, I think learners should choose manual then they have the option to drive either.
I'm 70yrs young and I'm about to buy my first auto. These videos are a great asset. Never to old to learn. Thankyou.
Glad to help 👍🏼
Thanks so much for the video its so clear how its explained so people's cars arent worn out quicker by getting into bad habits, tbh it makes sense to follow those steps as its generally safer and stopping fully first and checking is a safer way to pull away and reverse so the automatics in a way are making you go through things step by step rather than rushing through it
Only inferior or neglected cars will wear out . I have cars up to 66 years old still running like new and have had one with 470,000 miles , still on original engine and automatic gearbox , until a woman crashed into it while parked on my driveway ( after demolishing my garden wall in the process ) thus writing it off ; otherwise it would most likely be somewhere between 750,000 and a million miles by now ( that incident was back in 2006 ) . Any car , properly maintained , will last indefinitely .
Driving 38 years a manual car in Indian traffic which is extremely complicated and chaotic I was advised to move to AMT because i had issues with my left leg.I was not able to find an automatic car for demo and blindly bought a New Toyota Glanza ( Suzuki Baleno ) which is parked in the car port for the last 6 days. This morning i finally had the courage and took the car early morning to fill gas and everything went crazy.
I know I'm not supposed to use both legs but by reflex used the left leg on the brake. It happened thrice until it hit my head that i should not use the left leg and i was able to drive for around 2 kms and returned home safe.
Im 62 years old and makes me regret whether i took a wrong decision going in for an automatic.
Would i be able to get used to an automatic ?
Ive been watching a few videos of " advanced driving school " and pray that i would be able to manage an automatic.
Its nice to see the car used by you is a Suzuki Swift.
I am sure that you will get used to an automatic car eventually. Practice when the roads are quieter, and to start with use your right foot for both pedals - as you would in a manual car. Good luck!
Brilliant video. getting my first automatic car. arrives next week. good information. only ever driven manuals and burnt a few clutches. can't wait
I found this video quite helpful. Clearly explained. Thank you!!!
hill starts in an automatic are different to in manuals as they don't roll back and also the parking brake coming on once you select 'drive' and then coming on when you go into 'park'. I drove a manual for 25yrs and am glad I was persuraded to get an auto as I wasn't convinced until i was told all electric cars are automatic and i figured when i change my car in 4yrs i'll be in my 60s and find the change harder. Happy driving everyone!!
Anyone who drives an automatic this is just stating the bleeding obvious. People who don't know this shouldn't be driving!
I am getting my first automatic next week and am finding these videos very helpful. Thank you
Oh wow! The very fact a video of such basic common sense driving an auto box is needed really says something about the brains of a good slice of the population. I guess some folk just do zero research on how things work. I mean who would force a car into ‘Park’ or reverse whilst it is still going, and who uses two feet on the pedals? There must be some real morons out there..sheesh! In fact…no…don’t let them see this..Let them grenade their gearbox then maybe next time they will develop some mechanical sympathy huh!
I’ve had 20 hours manual lessons I live in London and manuals just aren’t any less stressful , gonna change to automatic ,... seems right for me!!
With all the stop / start traffic, automatics are perfect for driving in a city. You'll love it!
An issue with selecting N when descending long hills i.e. coasting, is that there is a risk that the engine may stall meaning loss of power braking and power steering.
The only good thing about automatic is driving in traffic either than that it's not suitable to my personality ,I am kind inpatient ,I might ruin the gearbox
Look, how can you select Neutral again downhills (while driving). It is possible? NO.because the car is moving already, so to select Neutral you needs to press brake and select Neutral, that's impossible.
Actually if you press the brake pedal lightly you can select neutral without stopping the car. On some other cars you only need to press a button on the gear stick and it will allow you to select neutral without slowing down at all! Either way, we shouldn’t do this as it gives us less control.
Thanks for another excellent video. However, I would like to point out that the DSG gearbox on my Skoda Superb actually lets the vehicle coast (freewheel) downhill whilst in "Eco" drive mode provided the accelerator or brake pedals are not touched. Presumably this feature is designed to aid fuel economy. However, in practice is all too easy for the car to coast faster and faster until the speed limit is exceeded and your licence is in danger of getting hammered. I therefore tend to stick to the "normal" drive mode which still gives me 50+ mpg on a run.
DSG is a dual clutch automated manual gearbox , not an actual automatic gearbox .
My Audi A1 does this but it can be controlled; if you ease off the accelerator gently the transmission slips into neutral but if you let off more abruptly it stays in gear. It always goes for the highest possible gear, but does change down if you brake on a steep hill. When it’s in neutral at speed you only have to touch the brake or accelerator to reengage drive. Apart from not having to move a lever about it’s nearly as complicated as a manual!
I doubt very much whether any modern transmission would be designed to coast (ie disengage engine from road wheels) during overrun - eg when going down a hill - because with fuel injection, it uses less fuel to remain in gear. If the wheels are driving the engine, the engine management unit can cut the fuel completely because none is needed to keep the engine idling. If you press the clutch - or the transmission does the same - a small amount of fuel is needed to keep the engine idling, because the wheels are not doing that job. I can see the instantaneous fuel consumption (on the trip computer) on my car shows 999 mpg (effectively no fuel being used) if I lift off the power and stay in gear, whereas it shows around 200 mpg if I press the clutch because a small amount of fuel is needed in the latter case.
when teaching the wife to drive an auto. coming from a manual. she could not get the hang of it. so I had her sit on her left leg. that done the trick she is now very happy.
Or at least tuck your left leg under the seat to avoid the temptation to use it for braking.
I've never felt the slightest urge to left-foot brake - I don't do it in a manual so why would it cross my mind to do it in an automatic? When I first drove my dad's automatic jsut after I'd passed my test, I did instinctively try to use it to change gear (forgetting that I didn't need to change) but that's different. You only touch the footbrake once with the force you'd use to press the clutch - after that you tend to remember not to do it ;-)
I passed manual, but I'm about to get my first car that is an automatic..
Very nervous 😓
Hello There, this is a really useful and helpful video, which is much appreciated. Thank you for doing this Cheers Peter :)
automatics are pretty much idiot proof. you need to be a very special person to develop these bad habits.
First !
Many thx for sharing this nice video!
That is a beautiful neighborhood
lovely trees.
i am new to automatic i have ford fiest sport or S and i was driving motorway using S and 6gear after i slow down to rounabout i lost control of my car never enough power to go..cost me almost acccident can you explain this pls
What do you mean by S and 6th gear? Perhaps that is 'manual mode' for your car and would explain the poor acceleration. Does the same thing happen in D mode?
Absolutely essential tips. Thanks much
Maual driver here soon changing to auto. There's quite a lot more to learn...crumbs
It's not too complicated really - here is a video that shows the basics: How to drive an Automatic Car: ua-cam.com/video/21rkscmavl4/v-deo.html
Well done! Of course, the Leaf doesn’t have an engine at all. In practice the general advice is wise. My own experience is that of a Toyota Hybrid (i.e. with an engine via an eCVT gearset and traction motor in tandem). Toyota (in the manual) advises that N should not be used for long, as it disconnects battery charging. I normally only use it so as to switch off the reversing lights when required around car parks etc, and sometimes use P in long stops in traffic queues. During short stops it stays in D, albeit with the brake lights on. When releasing the brake the car ‘crawls forward’ on the level; it’s always the traction motor that starts the car - sometimes the engine is used, sometimes not (automatically). It’s immune from ‘rolling backwards’ on hill starts as well. It also has a manual selection of engine braking (B) on long steep falling gradients, mostly to avoid fully charging the traction battery.
Thanks for your comment. The Leaf was an ideal car to film this video with, as since it is fully electric it is immune to damage from any of these bad habits!
Great tips, love driving automatic and got an automatic Fiat 500x
When I get my licence can I go and learn how to drive an automatic car
If you learn and pass your test in a manual car, you can just get into an automatic and drive it. Apart from the gearbox, everything else is exactly the same. 👍🏼
I get scared driving at 50 or over , I get so anxious I hover on the brake ! I haven’t been back on the motorway ! Help !!!
Perhaps try driving on there where there is very little traffic, such as on a Sunday morning. If that doesn’t work then why not book a refresher lesson with a local driving instructor?
Forgot to mention, that if you choose to engine break by manualy downshifting, do so ONLY ON DRY surface. As on Ice or during rain your wheels may briefly lock and send you in to a spin.
You should select the lower gear BEFORE you begin to descend the hill ; this will avoid that issue ; however if you are caught out on an unfamiliar road , then gently apply the brakes with left foot and bring the revs up with right foot to match the road speed as you manually select the intermediate gear , and this will not happen . Incidentally , the word is BRAKE .
You guys need to make a damm app ✨
Most these things my car prevents anyway
My driving instructor haven't taught me reverse parking and I have my pratical test tomorrow. All he taught was forward bay parking and the other maneuvers. Do you think that's ok?
Perhaps your instructor knows that your test centre doesn’t do the Reverse Bay Parking manoeuvre, so hasn’t bothered to teach it to you. I’d ask them about why that is, as it is a useful skill to have after your test.
How did the test go? Did it include reverse parking?
Hello There, thank you for producing this very useful video, great points raised. Cheers Peter Mc :-)
Hi am first from Mauritius love ur videos
im tempted to just try automatic over manual lessons. coming from automatic steering on PC games that use a wheel and pedals XD
I've had 4 manual lessons and I've decided to do automatic instead the clutch is to scary for me especially up hill starts ,
I would advise (in the UK, at least) to try if possible to pass in a manual car, even if you intend to drive automatic only after that. That way you are legally allowed to drive a manual if you ever need to, whereas passing in an automatic only allows you to drive automatic.
Just start driving class, knowing the theory aspects, I got your channel from google, I just remove the fear I have for driving. Thanks u
Coasting in N is by far NOT the same as towing. Towing is not allowed is because many transmissions need the engine running to get lubrication. Usually you are towing because the engine does not run, so in that case the transmission internals would operate dry. If the engine is running, the oil gets pumped through the system, so there is no damage risk from that at all. But nonetheless the other arguments why to not coast at N are valid (limited control, higher brake load, extra fuel consumption because at N the engine needs fuel to keep operating while when coasting in gear it cuts the fuel off completely).
And the "never press both gas and brake at the same time" is valid only in a limited way (for normal starts at level ground). When you need to start really quickly, this is actually way less stressing and safer than slamming D in while the engine is revving. But when you have to do it is at steep hills, when the transmission does not hold the car from backing down the hill. Mainly DCTs are very bad: The transmission releases clutches completely when stopped with brakes on (to not wear them out when stopped), so then they need time to engage back once you release the brake. And this time there is nothing holding the car, so it rolls back. The correct procedure is either use an AutoHold feature when present (not all cars have it), or hold the brake while pushing the gas and release the brake once you feel the clutch has engaged. Of course, doing that for longer than that second or so is wearing the clutch, but the second or so is no more stress than a normal start.
And with a torque converter there is no wear whatsoever, the transmission load is exactly the same as when accelerating. You are only warming up the oil in the transmission (so yes, if you would be staying like that for an hour or so you may definitely overheat the oil), for the few seconds the thermal mass is far enough to not cause any issue.
So pressing both is not an issue unless used excessively and carelessly.
Thank fully. I'm not doing any of these things! But I wanted to check! ❤thank you. Great video. Passed past summer and drove to Manchester for the first time last week!
Is it safe to use nautural and handbreak behind the traffic lights?
If you like - but we consider it to be unnecessary.
In the video you say: "don't shift from drive to reverse before the car has fully stopped" but at minute 3:37 we can see the driver shifting to reverse while the car is still in forward movement. 🙄
Yes - we wanted to show you what NOT to do!
@@AdvanceDrivingSchool Oh, ok. Looked like a contradiction to what was said before. Thanks for the clarification. 👍
Brake boosting is the best way to launch an automatic.
It is if you want to wear out your gearbox quickly….
Do you recommend putting an auto into Neutral for a long lights, or in stationary traffic?
If nothing else, it would save your brake light bulbs.
It depends on your preference - most people just stay in Drive with their foot on the brake. However you could select Park and release the foot brake, or select Neutral and use the hand brake. There is no right or wrong really. 👍🏼
@@AdvanceDrivingSchool I tend to select neutral at a long lights, because that's what I always did in a manual car
1:18 Don’t press the brake and accelerator at the same time aka. don't listen to those stupid TikTok videos that tell you that it will make a screenshot of the stuff you see in your windshielf ;)
Came here because I’m starting lessons today in an automatic. Guy is literally driving around my hometown and goes past my old house in the video! Huh.
Love the video Can you do more on parking and that in an automatic
Have you seen this video? How To Make Parking Easy | Learn to drive: Manoeuvres ua-cam.com/video/D9H_cSzLitQ/v-deo.html
Can you do videos in automatic dealing with traffic tailgating...
Sheila Mc Donald Following Distance / Tailgating | Learn to drive: Highway Code ua-cam.com/video/156jBbhh9AI/v-deo.html 👍🏼
Most cars will use more fuel in neutral than in gear.
Cause in neutral the engine has to use fuel to keep going, but in gear the wheels will turn the engine.
I’ve passed my test 6 months ago on manual car 🚗 but now I’m bit scared to go on automatic every one says it is easy .
It is a little simpler - this video explains the basics: How to drive an Automatic Car: ua-cam.com/video/21rkscmavl4/v-deo.html 👍🏼
My advice would be that automatics are easier, but do require a different style of driving. I find I end up "fighting" the automatic's tendency to change down when I call for more power, in a situation where in a manual I'd stay in the gear I'm already in and just increase the power until I've finshed accelerating and would change up as I came off the power - it avoids an unexpected gearchange and hence a different "mapping" between throttle position and acceleration - something which you instinctively learn to correct for in a manual but I find very difficult to do when the damn automatic changes when I don't want it to. I have yet to master accelerating briskly but smoothly out of a roundabout in an automatic ;-)
I would always choose a manual over an automatic, though I'd be interested to try a DSG which allows manual control over *when* the gearchanges occur (assuming you use it in manual mode) but takes away the need to rev-match to achieve a smooth change. I really don't like the vague woolly feel where there is a lot of latitude between varying the engine speed and starting to feel the road speed change, caused by the torque converter. I prefer the precision of the car having a fixed ratio between engine and road for any given gear. OK, I admit it: I'm probably a Luddite ;-)
I don't have Park on my civic?? I have neutral and reverse and I shift 😀
UK has a lot of grass and trees along roads, but no parking places so cars park in the road..
Another question. If I am stop for 20 min in a traffic, and it's not really moving can I use the park gear or neutral?
If we were stopping for 20 minutes, we’d probably even switch the engine off!
@@AdvanceDrivingSchool Ah ok thanks.
@@ronrellesiva2911 20 minutes!? I would have gone for a nap
@@excus Or got out and walked ;-)
is it at all a good idea to drive an automatic with the left foot on the break and the right food on the accelerator? or are there no benefits to this? really informative video also
There are advantages and disadvantages to using your left foot for braking in an automatic car, but there is no right or wrong. In the UK we usually use the right foot for both pedals, but in other countries it is taught the other way sometimes.
@@AdvanceDrivingSchool Left-foot braking is very much frowned on by advanced drivers (IAM and Police Class 1) - when I learned for my ordinary test, by instructor had been a Police instructor until he retired, and when I took my IAM test - both told me don't do it in an auto except when manoevring at low speed and you need to counter the car's tendency to move forward on creep or to surge forward suddenly as you increase power if creep isn't working properly. All other times, use the same foot for brake and accelerator so there's no temptation to press both pedals at the same time and no tendency to press the brake too hard if you are used to driving manual where your left foot has learned muscle-memory for big movements of the clutch rather than delicate movements of brake and accelerator. Only time I've left-footbraked was when driving a go-kart on my stag night because you are sitting astride the steering column which makes it impossible to use your right foot for both.
Can you advice how you would reverse uphill from parking?
Apart from selecting reverse gear, it’s the normal hill start technique just like driving forwards 👍🏼
Advance Driving School thank you for the answer!
Thanks a lot for your very beautiful informative video these videos helpe us a lot 🙌🏻
Thank you for this video very useful. I have 2 questions
How do you drive automatic car in snow.?if you shouldn't use the break pedal?
Cars without holder assist ( old cars)how you dealing to prevent the cars rolling back on up hill?
Thank you
You can use the brakes in snow, but we must be very very gentle to avoid skidding. The creep function of auto cars should be enough to prevent the car rolling back on hills before pulling away.
Advance Driving School thanks for your reply 👍🏼🙂
"how you dealing to prevent the cars rolling back on up hill?" - use the handbrake as you would in a manual car and how you were taught (certainly in the UK).
There was something I thought might have been on this list but it wasn't. I learned to drive in a manual, have only ever owned manuals for over 20 years and hadn't ever driven an automatic until a few years ago when I was asked to drive somewhere in a company car. It was a VW Golf estate which turned out to be automatic. I did around 50 miles in it and on 2 occasions I was coming up to a junction or traffic, took my left foot off the floor in preparation for stepping on the clutch (which of course wasn't there) and promptly trod on the brake pedal instead. It was the hardest braking I've ever felt, a truly horrible surprise and people driving behind me weren't impressed either. If you've ever tried braking with your left foot you'll know what I mean. I couldn't help doing it, after years of driving in a certain way it's autonomous. It's probably not an issue if you've always driven automatics or a mixture of both but going from manual to auto was hard for me.
We have made a whole video about left-foot braking in an automatic car! You can watch it here: ua-cam.com/video/1X_z6OVcPeQ/v-deo.html 👍🏼
I just experienced this in the morning and feel silly and terrified. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I have been using both feet in automatic cars for over 50 years ; after a short while it becomes second nature and I can actually go from auto to manual without even thinking about it - I must now have easily covered over two million miles as I typically cover upwards of 100000 miles a year between work and personal driving . Prior to having cars with ABS , I also learned to use cadence braking with the left foot in automatics . It does not take long to learn the technique .
@@derekheeps1244 My instructor (ex Police Class 1 driving instructor) for my normal test, and my "observer" (ie instructor) for my IAM test both deplored the idea of left-foot braking except when manoevring very slowly. Mainly it was because it is dangerous if the automatic is being driving by a driver who is used to driving a manual, when his left foot will have developed muscle-memory for making large clutch movements, and will instinctively do this with the brake which needs the more delicate movement that you also use for the accelerator. Also, it encourages the driver to press both brake and accelerator at the same time, which of course is impossible (barring heel-and-toe!) if you use your right foot for both pedals.
As regards cadence braking, when I tried it on a non-ABS car as a practice, I found I couldn't press the pedal rapidly enough to make it useful, and in an emergency, the instinct is to hit the footbrake as hard as possible, not to pulse the pedal while also trying to steer round the hazard.
One thing I was taught for the IAM test was "progressive braking" - apply the footbrake gently at high speed, gradually increasing the pressure as the speed reduces, and then ease off the footbrake almost to the point that it is no longer applied, as the car comes to a halt. Too many people jam on the bootbrake at high speed and keep it on until the car has lurched to an abrupt stop. I'd find it very difficult now *not* to brake progessively. I'm surprised it isn't taught for the ordinary test - or wasn't when I took it in 1981.
I was lucky that my instructor offered me a couple of post-test lessons on how to drive *well* as opposed to how to drive to satisfy the examiner. For example, don't change down sequentially through the gears (on a manual) but instead brake in the gear that you're in (maybe 5th or 6th), then change directly into the gear that you'll need to accelerate away again, missing out all the intermediate gears. Sequential changes were needed to pass the ordinary test in 1981, though I understand that the IAM way is now taught even for the ordinary test. He also took me to a nearby motorway and gave me a few tips on joining the motorway and reading the road ahead and the door mirror to judge when to pull out to overtake - not too early and take ages to reach the vehicle that you're overtaking, and not so late that a car in Lane 2 is blocking you from pulling out. He advised me that when I'm approaching an entry slip road (when I'm on the motorway) try to change from Lane 1 to Lane 2 to create space for a car to join in Lane 1; failing that, ease off the power slightly (no need to touch the brake, often) to create a space ahead of me for him to move into.
That’s somthing which I’ve right now all ready learnt🇬🇧
You should not use your LEFT foot in automatic drive...its BASIC
We made a whole video about that: Left Foot Braking An Auto: ua-cam.com/video/1X_z6OVcPeQ/v-deo.html
@@AdvanceDrivingSchool but in video we can see using both foot... oky thank u..
Thank god. i with the titltle dont press the brake and accelerator at the same time - I got anxious. BUT then I realised that it is ONLY for PULLING OFF. WHEN your DRIVING its FINE
We actually made a separate video about that: Left Foot Braking An Auto: ua-cam.com/video/1X_z6OVcPeQ/v-deo.html 👍🏼
How does using neutral increase transmission wear?
Using Neutral doesn’t usually increase wear, but it does give us less control over the cars speed than staying in Drive.
@@AdvanceDrivingSchool oh ok thanks
The problem I find in automatic cars is accelerating smoothly out of a roundabout. In a manual, I would have chosen my gear in advance and mentally applied the right amount of power for that gear. In my manual 1.6 HDi diesel car, I am used to approaching in (for example) 6th, braking to the right speed to negotiate the roundabout (let's assume there's nothing from the right that I need to give way to), changing into 3rd as I'm about to accelerate, and then holding that gear as I go round it and accelerate out, maybe changing up during the acceleration (in which case I very briefly ease off the power during the gearchange and then apply a new level of power for the higher gear).
In an automatic I find I am fighting the transmission - as I increase the accelerator, it drops into too low a gear, so the car surges forwards, so I ease off the power and it changes up and I get too little acceleration, so I apply a bit more and it changes down - rinse and repeat.
Automatics are find for the process of changing gear, as long as I the driver can choose what gear and *when*.
Guess it can depend on automatic transmission too? I've never noticed this problem with my 04 volvo with geartronic autobox 🤔
1:19 but how else would I do boosted launch? 😂
My thought exactly, TCS off auto hold off brake and accelerator floored and its lights out and away we go 😂😂💀💀
Thankyou sooo much ADS
The standard creep function that is built in to almost all automatics should stop the car rolling back on a hill, so no 'Hill Assist' function (as found in newer manual cars) is needed.
Being old-school, I don't like to trust hill-start assist in either manual or automatic, for fear that the car will roll backwards (maybe an unfounded fear!!), so I do it the way I was taught and have done for 40-odd years: hold the car on the handbrake while applying power (and also letting the clutch up in a manual) until the car "wants" to move forward and the brake is no longer needed.
My own car doesn't have HSA, but my wife's newer Honda does. I suppose I should find myself a hill when there's no-one behind and prove to myself how well HSA works, so I can convince myself that it works, in a situation where it doesn't matter if the car *does* happen to roll back ;-) I suppose I'm so used to the clutch-handbrake-accelerator method that I don't *need* HSA - and perhaps (snobbishly!) think it's for people who can't master the proper method that I've done all my driving life.
I know people will skit me if i take auto lessons fella thinks im mad
I've always selected D while in Reverse when reversing out of a parking spot to move off faster and haven't had a single issue ever
.......yet.
Good information n easy to understand thank so much
What if the car needs towing?
That’s what Neutral is for 👍🏼
I finally PASSED my test yesterday 17th May 2022 in an automatic with only 1 minor and 6 attempts later
Woooo! Well done 🚙👌🏼😃
Thank you. I have always used a geared car. But have just bought an automatic Toyota Yaris. As so much easier.... very informative video.
Glad it was helpful!
I passed today !! Keep going guys you can do it 😊
Great job!
@@AdvanceDrivingSchool thanks ☺️
Hopefully you passed first time, unlike me. It took me three goes, because I was unlucky enough to draw the Bastard Examiner From Hell for my first test (seriously: all the instructors complained to the head examiner at the centre because this guy failed people who woul have passed with anyone else and he was angry and obnoxious if you asked him to clarify an inctruction). My next door neighbour is the only person I know who he passed and he said (or so I was told) "I am very sorry to have to tell you that I cannot find sufficient reason to fail you so against my better judgement I am required to pass you". There's no call for snide, vindictive comments like that.
And I failed the second time when reversing around a corner because a car appeared behind me on the road I was reversing from (it appeared from round a corner after I;d checke that it was safe to begin - a bad place to do the reversing test!). I stopped, checked that other the car stopped as well, and then continued, whereas the examiner said I should have stayed stopped, half way round the corner (even if the other car flashed me a "proceed") and should have waited (forever?) until the other car had overtaken me on the wrong side of the road. My instructor said that failure reason was factually wrong (and as an ex Police Class 1 instructor he should know) - he lodged a complaint but of course that doesn't reverse a failure. At least that examiner was human enough to apologise for not being able to give me an 18th birthday present of a pass slip - he noticed that the test was on my birthday.
And then I passed third time. The head examiner did that test and he said "Ah, you had Mr X for your first test. I'm not surprised you failed. You might be interested to know he no longer works for us."
I drive manual but these new automatic cars look confusing asf . That's why I'm here😅
This video might help: How to drive an Automatic Car: ua-cam.com/video/21rkscmavl4/v-deo.html 👍🏼
When moving off from driving center in an auto car ..my car rolled back and i failed dont know what could be the reason..Can u tell me the reason plz.
It’s impossible to say without being there - but perhaps you hadn’t selected drive when you released the handbrake, or possibly something else. Better luck next time 👍🏼
I have been driving a manual for 25 years. My partner has hybrid auto. I need to move it on and off the drive.
This video helped alot. Although I still feel don't want to touch auto
In case it helps, this video explains the basics: How to drive an Automatic Car: ua-cam.com/video/21rkscmavl4/v-deo.html 👍🏼
I am a beginner learner , and I had 8 driving lessons on automatic car , and this video is very helpful,and useful, many thanks for all your efforts .
You are welcome!
People actually do all these, Lol?
Surprisingly yes!
good day!..can i change d to manual mode while in a downhill driving?..sorry but little bit confused..
Yes, you can change between different forward modes whilst driving - but don’t try to select park or reverse!
Thanks for the video really helpful, when can I use Neutral gear please,
Thanks ❤
It’s very rare to use Neutral in an automatic. The only situation we can think of is when the car has a problem and needs to be pushed or towed.
autos are great, my honda is, many thanks,
Im not quite 18 but I do young driver driving lessons, this would help me on it.
In the UK we can drive on the road once we are 17.
I passed 7 years ago (manual) & I’m about to switch to an automatic and for some reason I am dooping my pants.
I'm sure you will get used to it in no time. In case you haven't seen it, this video explains the basics: How to drive an Automatic Car: ua-cam.com/video/21rkscmavl4/v-deo.html 👍🏼
Thank you so much for upload video I always waiting your New videos
Loved the lesson! Seems like a nice area and with attractive properties.... where is this town?
Thanks. It's Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk. 👍🏼
Thank you so much. A quick question please:
Tell me more how to balance the wheel on a sharp corner?
Steering around tight corners: ua-cam.com/video/TcDf24iCFb4/v-deo.html 👍🏼
im having issues pushing both pedels when im driving without realising.
Perhaps you should switch to braking with your right foot to stop that happening?
I would love to drive i have it long time now i am 59 i need a car before my birthday
Where are you i am in BHM
For some reason YT decided to put this onto my YT feed as I am learning to drive in an automatic. However, my wife drives a Nissan Leaf (the same generation of Leaf as shown in this video), so as soon as you said about not pressing the brake and accelerator together because it can damage the gearbox, I had to comment on that.
Electric cars like this Nissan Leaf don't have a gearbox, they are all single gear driven, meaning it is impossible to damage them in the way described. I understand that the Leaf is only used for illustration purposes but it is slightly misleading.
Yes, we only had the Leaf available but wanted to show what not to do in normal automatic cars. Of course it meant we could do all the wrong things without any fear of actually causing damage! Good luck with your lessons 👍🏼
@@AdvanceDrivingSchool Thanks!