By now, you should be familiar with how to use the automatic transmission in your vehicle. The gear positions are pretty self-explanatory. But what exactly is neutral and how are you supposed to use it? Let’s find out!
What Transmission Do I Have?
First of all, what is neutral gear in the first place?
Positioned between reverse and drive, neutral is literally the absence of a gear. Shift in this position and the gas pedal will have no impact on the acceleration of the vehicle. It also means that the vehicle can freewheel forwards or backwards, depending on the angle at which it is sitting. In other words, the vehicle could roll away before you realize it.
When should you shift into neutral?
Stuck throttle
Thanks to the advent of electronic throttles, it’s not uncommon for the gas pedal to continue feeding fuel to the engine after you release it. This is a very dangerous situation, and you don’t have many options to bring yourself safely to a stop. If you turn the engine off, you lose the ability to brake and steer without power assist. So the best thing to do is shift your transmission into neutral, slow the vehicle with the brakes and steer yourself to safety.
Brake failure
If for some reason the brakes on your vehicle fail, you’re going to need to be able to stop safely. To do this, shift your transmission into neutral to cut power without shutting off the engine. Now steer yourself to the side of the road and downshift the transmission into low gear. This will begin to slow the vehicle using the transmission. With any luck, you’ll be able to slowly come to a stop. Try using the emergency brake to come to a complete stop if possible. But only after you have slowed down with the transmission.
If the vehicle is stuck or stalled
Shifting into neutral will allow you to push or pull the vehicle from a precarious position without cutting the engine power or incurring the drag of a driven gear.
Towing
If the vehicle is being loaded onto a tow truck, or is being flat towed, shifting into neutral is a must. This will allow the vehicle to be moved without causing significant internal damage.
What Transmission Do I Have?
If you would like to learn more about using the S position on your shifter, click here.
