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What to Do with an Automatic Transmission at a Traffic Light?

Model: Mercedes Classe C W205 - Years 2014-2021
Part: Transmission

This is what owners of vehicles with automatic transmissions wonder when stopped at a traffic light: Is it better to leave the lever in "D" (drive) or put it in "N" (neutral)? The correct answer is: leave the car in "D" and keep your foot on the brake, because most automatic transmissions have a torque converter designed to operate under controlled slip conditions. In this situation, the system remains pressurized but does not generate enough friction to cause wear; we are not stressing the internal components abnormally. Shifting from "D" to "N" and then back to "D" is worse, because each time we move the lever, we activate a series of internal mechanisms that cause micro-wear; furthermore, the time it takes to shift from "N" to "D" is dead time (this is not a manual transmission). Many modern cars have an "auto hold" feature, so the car stays braked automatically, and with start & stop technology, when the engine restarts, we are immediately in "D".

Posted on 3 March 2026 by ScegliAuto

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by ScegliAuto

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