May 8, 200521 yr I drive a 1996 Buick (automatic tranny) and I have to admit that last night I somehow absent mindedly shifted it into reverse when I was travelling at about 35 mph. The engine went out of gear and the engine would not even rev. I started my car back up after I stopped and everything was normal as far as I could tell. I was wondering if anyone knew - is there some sort of safeguard built in to keep damage from occuring to a transmission from something like that?
May 8, 200521 yr (automatic tranny) 766563[/snapback] tee hee. oh, and i don't know the answer to your question, but i'm hoping it's yes. i've never done what you just did, but because i'm so impatient, i do sometimes flip into reverse too quickly (i.e. before my car has had a chance to stop moving forward).
May 8, 200521 yr How the hell did you even manage to do that? I thought most automatic cars couldn't be shifted into reverse if the car didn't have the brakes on. As far as safeguards go though, I don't think there is anything except that spongy thing between your ears, but stop trying to shift your automatic because bad things like this can happen.
May 8, 200521 yr Author It's because I like to coast when I can (in neutral) to save gas. It was about 4 in the morning so cut me a break. I moved the shifter forward instead of backward. Anyway I guess no one really knows cars on this forum.
May 8, 200521 yr Forward? In my car it's Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, then all the pointless extra gears.
May 8, 200521 yr It's because I like to coast when I can (in neutral) to save gas. It was about 4 in the morning so cut me a break. I moved the shifter forward instead of backward. Anyway I guess no one really knows cars on this forum. 766960[/snapback] I know a lot about cars, I just know nothing of their inner workings. I've been reading car magazines since I was like 8. :plain
May 8, 200521 yr Author Forward? In my car it's Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, then all the pointless extra gears. 766963[/snapback] Yes, forward. I was coasting in neutral. I shifted it forward into reverse as opposed to back into drive. And those other gears are not pointless, but then again you live in South Florida.
May 8, 200521 yr This is simply another reason for a manual elitist like me to say: Manual > Clutchless Manual > Automatic
May 9, 200521 yr Author I prefer a manual as well, however my current car was a graduation gift so I am not choosy. I'm 6'5" so i need it's leg room.
May 9, 200521 yr I prefer a manual as well, however my current car was a graduation gift so I am not choosy. I'm 6'5" so i need it's leg room. 767382[/snapback] Damn, I got a trip to Europe and more or less had my car taken away for graduation gifts.
May 9, 200521 yr Yeah, there is a little bit of a safety feature included there...I think it is shock. At that speed, it probably couldn't have performed the action to put the right gear in place. You can get the same thing with a manual transmission, it doesn't want to let you shift into a specific gear if the rate of speed (or direction) is too great. The gears will grind continually instead letting you make that shift. Eventually, if the speed is reduced enough, you can finally get the shift. Even in '96, so much is electronic that the error knocked the brain out (no engine rev or reaction to commands.) Restarting the car reset it, and let you continue on your way. End result, you may have taken some miles off the overall life, but it shouldn't be anything you notice right now. BTW Fritz... Automatics allow you to go from neutral without the brake having to be tapped, especially if it is a center shift console. Usually the center shifts have a release on the shift right where your thumb would be anyway. (And it really only requires the slightest of touches on the brake pedal to allow a shift.)
May 9, 200521 yr It's because I like to coast when I can (in neutral) to save gas. It was about 4 in the morning so cut me a break. I moved the shifter forward instead of backward. Anyway I guess no one really knows cars on this forum. 766960[/snapback] Probably forgot to mention that you were piss drunk when u did this
May 9, 200521 yr I think you will be allright. If any damage was done, it is very minimal. It would actually be worse if you were going a slower speed, like 5mph if you did this.
May 10, 200521 yr Author It's because I like to coast when I can (in neutral) to save gas. It was about 4 in the morning so cut me a break. I moved the shifter forward instead of backward. Anyway I guess no one really knows cars on this forum. 766960[/snapback] Probably forgot to mention that you were piss drunk when u did this 767527[/snapback] Not a chance, I despise drunk driving.
May 10, 200521 yr It's because I like to coast when I can (in neutral) to save gas. It was about 4 in the morning so cut me a break. I moved the shifter forward instead of backward. Anyway I guess no one really knows cars on this forum. 766960[/snapback] Probably forgot to mention that you were piss drunk when u did this 767527[/snapback] Not a chance, I despise drunk driving. 768473[/snapback] good choice
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