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This is what I used to do until I started to get involved with emission tests. Your vehicle emissions are at a max level and by keeping it idle for a long time, you are simply letting more toxic fumes into the environment.

Modern day cars are designed for ignition ON - Start - Move on. If you refer most manuals, they say the same. This is because the faster you can bring the engine to its optimum working conditions, the better. (which will happen when you start moving immediately without the initial warm-up.

Also, that doesn't mean that one should rev it immediately after start to bring the temp. up.


Coming back to the original topic, I believe that with the oncoming trend of Dual Clutch Automatics (DSG), there should not be any need for driving it differently than a manual tranny.

The answer however to the original as everyone has posted already is P,N for start, D for drive. I think their names itself clarify the objectives of these slots.

Gandhar.

Oh thanks for the answer, I was afraid of using N for Santro thinking it might effect engine or something. Its easy to use N to start especially in small signals.

There are various type of Automatics in the market. Torque Converter type is one of them. What about the Dual Clutch type?? They obviously should have clutch as per their name. Somebody has posted that Honda manual suggest to wait in N, so it will be best for everybody to go as per their Car manual.

@Gansbab, you seem to have a lot of knowledge by the virtue of your skillsets and experience. Encouraging you to start a thread on what you have learnt, on dos and donts, from which we can all learn from.

Samurai, I found your comment on the "egg breaking war between Lilliputs and Blefuscu" really hilarious, you are really spot on.

I too have driven Autos (slushmatic & CVT ) for over 15 years now, and have spoken to mechanics & enthusiast drivers here (in Oz).

There are 2 opinions, one is that it is an Automatic, hence the very idea is that it should do the job for you.
Putting it into N at every stop is a bit like hiring a driver and pressing the clutch for him at every stop to save his calf muscles!!

However the other side of the coin (based on mechanics discussions) is (1) that putting it in N at every stop may yield marginal fuel saving benefits as the revs drop a bit without the load of the tranny and (2) the second more interesting one is that since brakes on autobox cars generally run hotter, putting it in N and using the handbrake at every stop do prolong brake life in solid disc brake cars, because you release the brake the disc cools uniformly, keeping the brake pressed causes uneven coooling and causes the rotors to warp over time. However this problem is apparently less common in more modern cars that have ventilated disc rotors.

I for one just leave it in "D" until the end of my drive.

Cheers

This is the reason most cabs in the UK (and Europe) are ATs. This started at least 20 years ago, when they found the extra consumption was less expensive than clutch replacements.

@gansbab i agree with you here. But starting the car and then doing what i mentioned hardly takes a minute. I feel better letting the engine run idle for that one minute. Guess its just me. :D

Perfect post confirming what i have been trying to say all along. Also, the other points i added to the N mode is that you can rest your foot instead of it being on the brake while you are idling, the car is less of a hazard as it wont move forward if the brakes are left by mistake & finally, it will be less irritating for the driver behind you as he/she wont have to face the brake light of your car while behind you.

Hence for the reasons stated above i have started following & recommending putting it into N during idling.

Another reason why I keep it in N instead of D at stops... If the guy ahead slips back before moving forward, a very common occurence in cities with gentle rolling hills, like Pune or Bangalore, being in N allows you to roll back If needed, whereas in D I need to shift to R to do that. Am used to doing this in my MT so the first time it happened in my AT, I was in D and nearly rear ended the guy! So now I keep it in N!

Yes, this happens in Pune often. The reverse is also true, i.e. stopping on a red light where the road is on a decline. Since everyone on a red light gets impatient and "creeps" forward inch by inch, keeping the lever on N allows you to "creep" ahead without engaging D. That is, it basically saves some hand movement.

I bought my i10 Automatic a month back. No issues so far except that I get a mileage of 9 kms/ltr with 50% ac on.

Hope it gets better.

I need advice on the O/D switch. Should it be on or off (the dash board indicator says O/D OFF else it is blank- which means it is ON??Confused).

I was told switch it on if you are going on long drives, but the manual does not tell much about long drives.

Also each time engine is off it automatically shitches off? but the dashboard sign is also off???stupid:


TIA

O/D switch should be kept always ON. If O/D switch is OFF it will engage only 3 Gears, which is not good for FE.

During the Run in period I would also at times go on a OD OFF mode and take the engine on a wide range of RPMs so that the engine runs in properly.

Phew! Finished reading in one go. Took 3 hours in between work (!) and hope my boss isn't too bothered. Awesome thread; enjoyed every bit of it. Now comes my turn-

Part 1: the 'N' vs 'D' :deadhorse
The OM of the Ford Endeavour AT mentions the following, quite bluntly, under the "Automatic Transmission: Safety & Guidance" section (this is the first page of the OM): "At traffic signals, ensure the gear selector is moved to the PARK position".

While I accept this is quite safe, I believe this is required only when VIPs are exiting airports and traffic on the the entire GST of Chennai is held for them to pass. I would also switch it off in this case and probably hop off for a smoke.

For my daily driving, I chose a combo of the 'N and 'D' approach. Short signals 'D', greater than 30s, 'N'. I don't keep a track of too. And while on the 'N', I mostly engage the brakes and rarely not (flat road, no one at the back etc.), but the point is I keep telling myself to remain vigilant. After all, isn't that what we are all supposed to do when at the wheel? So, I am of the "do what's best for you" group!

I don't use the handbrake when doing the 'N' method simply because I think it's not it's intended purpose. OK, I can see some of you telling me that the handbrake is located in a 'not so very comfortable' place in the Endeavour :D

Part 2 (hoping to start a new discussion):
Summing up from reading the OM, they advise you to use (2 + O/D OFF) in heavy, slow moving, stop-go traffic. I'm thinking of trying this out. What do you guys think? Anyone tried this?

^_ I tried the above today. I have to say it was not so dense or heavy traffic, but slow and moving. The whole thing lasted for about 4-5 minutes. The gear lever was on 2 and o/d was off. I could not find a difference between this setting and the normal 'D'. I probably will have to try this in even more dense and crawling traffic.