Drive Automatic Car

Many people who drive automatic cars do so because driving a manual car is too difficult. A common misconception is that automatic cars are as simple as pressing the gas pedal and driving, however there are a few important characteristics of an automatic transmission that all drivers should understand.

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There are a number of driving behaviors that are difficult on an automatic transmission and can eventually lead to an early breakdown of the transmission. If you don't have an extended warranty and the car is over a certain milelage, you'll have to pay for the repairs yourself. By modifying your behaviors when you drive automatic cars, you can significantly extend the life of your automatic transmission, and the life of your new car.

An automatic transmission is an amazing piece of automotive technology. These devices interconnect the car's computer, hydraulics and mechanical systems so that the gears are shifted as required. The transmission's job is to make sure that the engine maintains a safe level of revolutions per minute (RPM) while providing enough torque to the driveshaft so that the car can move as fast as you need it to. This works as follows:

• In lower gears, the engine works harder while the wheels turn slower. Lower gears are required when the wheels need to turn under heavy load, such as when they are first accelerating, passing another car, or driving up a steep hill. In this condition, torque and engine speed is very high.
• In higher gears, the engine is closer to idling speed while the wheels are turning fast with very little torque. This only works as long as the car is coasting easily along a highway or downhill and very little force is required to keep the car in motion.

The job of the transmission is to measure the required "load," such as whether you are going uphill or trying to accelerate quickly, and compare it to the current speed of the wheels. If the difference in load and speed is great, the computer system makes the decision to shift to lower gears to deliver more power to the wheels in order to increase wheel speed.

The way you drive can place tremendous extra demands upon the mechanical systems inside an automatic transmission. Forcing the transmission to shift often, or to work more often under higher torque conditions, will lead to excessive wear and tear and a premature breakdown. Consider each of the following driving techniques that can extend the life of your automatic transmission.

Transmission maintenance is critical to ensuring a long life for your transmission. If the engine oil is the lifeblood of a car, the transmission fluid is the lifeblood of the transmission, and it is critical to the proper operation and mechanical longevity of all of the parts. Checking transmission fluid regularly should be a part of every driver's normal schedule. Check your manual, or just ask your mechanic to do it. If you notice any strange sounds when the car shifts, or any erratic shifting behavior, have it checked out immediately. Waiting can lead to much more serious transmission damage and a far more costly repair.

Keeping your transmission cool will also extend its life dramatically. High heat within the confines of fast moving mechanical parts adds to wear and tear. If you want to make the transmission last almost twice as long as it normally would, consider installing an external transmission cooler. If you don't want to go through the expense, at least make sure that your car's cooling system (and antifreeze level) is always in optimum working condition.

While no one wants to constantly baby the engine by never accelerating hard or always driving at a constant speed, it's important to treat your automatic transmission tenderly when it's working under difficult conditions. Difficult conditions include excessive temperatures, such as sub-zero winter temperatures when fluids tend to freeze easily or within extremely hot summer temperatures. Another extreme condition would be if you were hauling a very heavy load. Pulling a boat or loaded trailer changes the entire set of RPM/torque calculations and forces your transmission to remain in low-gear high-speed conditions over an extended period of time, which increases internal heat. Transmission experts agree that heat is the most common cause of almost all transmission failures. If you're forced to drive under these conditions, always accelerate slowly so that the transmission has a chance to shift under less "strain" than if you're constantly pushing the gas pedal to the floor.

One of the most common reasons transmissions overheat and fail is from "hard driving." This style of driving includes very fast acceleration, constant stops and starts or speeding up and slowing down often. While certain locations force you to drive this way, such as in the city, if you can avoid this sort of driving then do so. Some tips to avoid "hard driving" include:

• When you're on the highway, pick a steady speed and remain there.
• Use cruise control, if your vehicle comes with it, whenever it makes sense.
• Accelerate slowly at all intersections.
• Avoid very slow driving or idling in place. If you're stuck in a traffic jam, switch the engine into neutral and keep your foot on the brakes. This will disengage the drive from the wheels and avoid transmission overheating.
• If you get stuck in mud and the wheels can't turn, avoid pressing the gas, which can quickly damage the transmission. Find help to two the car out of the hole - pressing the gas while the wheels are locked is one of the fastest routes to a destroyed automatic transmission.

Most automatic transmissions in newer cars today are designed to perform well under most conditions and driving situations, but by staying aware of what kind of driving puts more stress on the system, you can greatly reduce those stresses and significantly extend the life of your transmission.

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