Is it OK to put in N at traffic lights?

nhhiep · 10-28-2008, 03:48 PM

I've an AT. and at some lights. I know I will sit there for like a min or so and the ground is totally flat. So I just put it in N to relax my leg for not keeping it on the brake.

is that ok to do or bad? or doesn't matter?

Deda · 10-28-2008, 03:51 PM

it is good..over 30 sec move to N !

akhter · 10-28-2008, 03:52 PM

shouldn't matter. its fine.

Bimmer007 · 10-28-2008, 03:54 PM

what if some one rear ends you?

AndreyATC · 10-28-2008, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bimmer007

what if some one rear ends you?

MT drivers would have the same case

Prissy · 10-28-2008, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bimmer007

what if some one rear ends you?

then y

ou are sandwiched

Bimmer007 · 10-28-2008, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndreyATC

MT drivers would have the same case

no brakes

AndreyATC · 10-28-2008, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bimmer007

no brakes

If you have MT you ARE in N at the light and no brakes

I just pointed out that MT drivers are in the same situation
So yes, no brakes is no good if someone rear-ends you
Just gotta be extra cautious

Year's_End · 10-28-2008, 04:34 PM

...why not just put it in park...

ragingclue · 10-28-2008, 04:36 PM

do you only have one leg?

bsd107 · 10-28-2008, 04:47 PM

My 2009 E90 manual (covering US 328i and 335i sedans/sport wagons, and Canadian 323i sedans) suggests actually shutting off the engine at "long stoplights or in traffic". They actually state that even if with a stop as short as 4 seconds (yes, that's "four") a fuel savings will result.

Personally, I'd be more worried about wear on the starter, etc, to do this. BMW does have an automatic feature that does this in Europe, but only on the 4-cylinder MT 3-series....

3lusive · 10-28-2008, 04:53 PM

couldn't AT users just put it in park?
There's not much difference than neutral correct?

captainaudio · 10-28-2008, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3lusive

couldn't AT users just put it in park?
There's not much difference than neutral correct?

Neutral decouples the engine from the transmission. Park also does but in addition it locks the drive shaft so the car can not roll.

CA

BK · 10-28-2008, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndreyATC

If you have MT you ARE in N at the light and no brakes

I just pointed out that MT drivers are in the same situation
So yes, no brakes is no good if someone rear-ends you
Just gotta be extra cautious

MT is in N, of course, but smart MT drivers keep a foot on the brake in case we get rear-ended. The OP was saying he wanted to lift his foot off the brake. He should put it in park.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3lusive

couldn't AT users just put it in park?
There's not much difference than neutral correct?

The difference is that in P, a pin ("paw"?) physically engages in the transmission to lock it and keep it from rolling.

captainaudio · 10-28-2008, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BK

MT is in N, of course, but smart MT drivers keep a foot on the brake in case we get rear-ended. The OP was saying he wanted to lift his foot off the brake. He should put it in park.

The difference is that in P, a pin ("paw"?) physically engages in the transmission to lock it and keep it from rolling.

That's correct except that it is called a "Pawl"

See Below:

A parking pawl is a device fitted to a car's automatic transmission that locks up the transmission. It is engaged when the shift selector is placed in the Park position, which is always the first position (topmost on a column shift, frontmost on a floor shift) in all cars sold in the United States since 1965 (when the order was standardised by the SAE) and in most other vehicles worldwide.
The parking pawl locks the transmission's output shaft to the transmission casing by engaging a pawl (a pin) that engages in a notched wheel on the shaft, stopping it (and thus the driven wheels) from turning.
Most manufacturers and mechanics do not recommend using the transmission's parking pawl as the sole means of securing a parked vehicle, instead recommending it should be engaged after first applying the vehicle's parking brake. Constant use of the parking pawl only, especially when parking on a steep incline, means that driveline components are kept constantly under stress, and can cause wear and eventual failure of the parking pawl or transmission linkage. The pawl might also fail or break if the vehicle is pushed with sufficient force, if the parking brake is not firmly engaged. Replacement can be an expensive operation since it generally requires removing the transmission from the car.
It is also not recommended to use the parking pawl to stop a vehicle in motion. The pawl mechanism is not strong enough to stop a vehicle in motion or may not engage at all. Under that much stress, the pawl may break off in the transmission, leading to costly repairs.

GregE92 · 10-28-2008, 05:34 PM

I put it in N at longer stops. It's just a habit because I feel like it's less wear to the components.

Regarding the rear-ending situation, I'm not sure I concur with your logic. Why brake?
When in neutral the car can roll thus converting some of the impact energy into motion, thus lessening the damage. If you brake more of the impact is spent on destroying the car.

borisivan · 10-28-2008, 05:52 PM

I suppose if you're first @ the intersection, you may not want to get pushed into the middle of the intersection and get plowed over by a semi.

On the other hand, if you have a car in front of you, if you *know* that you're about to get rear ended, the best thing you can do is get right on the bumper of the person in front of you. It will greatly lessen the damage to your car.

nhhiep · 10-28-2008, 06:20 PM

you guys are funny. how did this thread get into the MT discussion?

So, in conclusion. assuming, normal day by day, don't expect be rear ended and there are cars in front of me at the lights. It's GOOD to put it in N?

but even in case of rear ended. I would imagine my car will transfer the momentum/force to the car in front of me, which may result in less damage to my car/me. But I am not worrying about this though. I was just wondering if any damage to the AT by put in N

Year's_End · 10-28-2008, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by borisivan

I suppose if you're first @ the intersection, you may not want to get pushed into the middle of the intersection and get plowed over by a semi.

On the other hand, if you have a car in front of you, if you *know* that you're about to get rear ended, the best thing you can do is get right on the bumper of the person in front of you. It will greatly lessen the damage to your car.

that's the worst thing you could do

CirrusSR22 · 10-28-2008, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nhhiep

I was just wondering if any damage to the AT by put in N

No, nor does it do any damage to put it into park. Leave it in either forever and it won't hurt a thing. But why not just put it into park? You say you want to rest your leg.

StoneCold · 10-28-2008, 07:06 PM

If you got rear end by switching in N and got rear end......I must be the bad day......

nhhiep · 10-28-2008, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CirrusSR22

No, nor does it do any damage to put it into park. Leave it in either forever and it won't hurt a thing. But why not just put it into park? You say you want to rest your leg.

yeah. somehow I thought it would be bad to the AT if put in P (compare to harmless N). I guess I was wrong.

10-28-2008, 03:48 PM	#1
nhhiep Captain 88 Rep 863 Posts Drives: bmw Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denver, CO iTrader: (0)	Is it OK to put in N at traffic lights? I've an AT. and at some lights. I know I will sit there for like a min or so and the ground is totally flat. So I just put it in N to relax my leg for not keeping it on the brake. is that ok to do or bad? or doesn't matter?
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10-28-2008, 03:51 PM	#2
Deda Major General 568 Rep 7,034 Posts Drives: BMW M5 comp Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Croatia iTrader: (0)	it is good..over 30 sec move to N !
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10-28-2008, 03:52 PM	#3
akhter Lieutenant Colonel 420 Rep 1,691 Posts Drives: 911 992 C2S Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hong Kong iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 BMW X5 M Sport ... [0.00] 2007 335i M Sport E90 [10.00]	shouldn't matter. its fine.
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10-28-2008, 03:54 PM	#4
Bimmer007 Lieutenant 41 Rep 537 Posts Drives: Cars Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Long Island, NY iTrader: (0)	what if some one rear ends you?
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10-28-2008, 04:34 PM	#9
Year's_End Lieutenant General 1158 Rep 12,445 Posts Drives: 2020 Shelby GT350 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	...why not just put it in park... __________________ Past: '08 E92 335i\|ZPP\|ZSP\|6AT Past: '15 Mustang GT\|401A\|PP\|6MT Current: '20 Shelby GT350\|6MT
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10-28-2008, 04:36 PM	#10
ragingclue One cam is enough 132 Rep 6,801 Posts Drives: VF Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: mulletville iTrader: (1)	do you only have one leg?
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10-28-2008, 04:47 PM	#11
bsd107 Captain 46 Rep 627 Posts Drives: 2009 335i E90 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: US iTrader: (0)	My 2009 E90 manual (covering US 328i and 335i sedans/sport wagons, and Canadian 323i sedans) suggests actually shutting off the engine at "long stoplights or in traffic". They actually state that even if with a stop as short as 4 seconds (yes, that's "four") a fuel savings will result. Personally, I'd be more worried about wear on the starter, etc, to do this. BMW does have an automatic feature that does this in Europe, but only on the 4-cylinder MT 3-series....
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10-28-2008, 04:53 PM	#12
3lusive Captain 21 Rep 959 Posts Drives: 2013 MINI JCW Hardtop Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sacramento, CA iTrader: (8)	couldn't AT users just put it in park? There's not much difference than neutral correct?
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10-28-2008, 05:34 PM	#16
GregE92 Private 8 Rep 73 Posts Drives: 2009 320i Coupe (E92) Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Zurich, Switzerland iTrader: (0)	I put it in N at longer stops. It's just a habit because I feel like it's less wear to the components. Regarding the rear-ending situation, I'm not sure I concur with your logic. Why brake? When in neutral the car can roll thus converting some of the impact energy into motion, thus lessening the damage. If you brake more of the impact is spent on destroying the car. __________________ "Good morning - Look at the valedictorian, scared of the future while I hop in the DeLorean"
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10-28-2008, 05:52 PM	#17
borisivan craptastic 19 Rep 281 Posts Drives: 2010 335xi Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: hell in a handbasket iTrader: (0)	re: no brake I suppose if you're first @ the intersection, you may not want to get pushed into the middle of the intersection and get plowed over by a semi. On the other hand, if you have a car in front of you, if you know that you're about to get rear ended, the best thing you can do is get right on the bumper of the person in front of you. It will greatly lessen the damage to your car.
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10-28-2008, 06:20 PM	#18
nhhiep Captain 88 Rep 863 Posts Drives: bmw Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Denver, CO iTrader: (0)	you guys are funny. how did this thread get into the MT discussion? So, in conclusion. assuming, normal day by day, don't expect be rear ended and there are cars in front of me at the lights. It's GOOD to put it in N? but even in case of rear ended. I would imagine my car will transfer the momentum/force to the car in front of me, which may result in less damage to my car/me. But I am not worrying about this though. I was just wondering if any damage to the AT by put in N
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10-28-2008, 07:06 PM	#21
StoneCold Captain 13 Rep 623 Posts Drives: BMW 2008 328i Coupe, Pro 02/08 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Vancouver, WA iTrader: (1)	If you got rear end by switching in N and got rear end......I must be the bad day......
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