'N’ or ‘Neutral’ is a gear in the cars with an automatic gearbox? Have you ever thought about the functions of this neutral gear? Most people have never had a reason to use it while some drivers don’t even know when and how to use it. Well, it has some unique functions and can even save your life too in critical conditions.

Use of Neutral Gear in Automatic Transmission Car

Shifting to the neutral gear in an automatic transmission will cut off the connection between the engine and the wheels. So, no power will be transmitted to the wheels when you press the pedal. This allows the wheels to rotate freely without drawing much action from the engine, but you will still have some control over the car.

Shifting to the neutral does not do much harm except for putting a bit strain on the brakes when your intention is to stop the vehicle. However, dong it frequently for a long time could damage the torque converter.

When to Use the Neutral Gear

There are several occasions when selecting this gear will come handy. Let’s take a look:

Stop a car with a stuck throttle

Think of cruising through the highway at a great speed and suddenly discovering that you have a stuck throttle! Scary, right? Pushing the brake might not be enough to stop the vehicle since the speed is high. In that case, the safe bet is to move the gear to Neutral and use the brake to park safely.

Switching off the engine is not the safest solution since it will cut the power to the steering, making it impossible to stop the car without any damage.

Safe parking during a brake failure

People mostly respond to a brake-fail by killing the engine. It’s a wrong choice since it will leave you with no control over the steering wheel. Besides, it can even lock the wheel mechanism, making the situation more dangerous. Shifting to the neutral gear will help you toggling between the lanes and park somewhere safe.

During towing the car

Putting the vehicle in Neutral during towing is not the ideal way to do it. However, you don’t have any choice when the towing company does not have a tow dolly. The neutral gear will help in keeping the engine on and transmission damage minimal.

Frequently Asked Questions about Neutral Gear

The gear actually does not have much use other than helping in stopping the car in some critical situations. Check out the FAQs to clear your confusion:

Is There Any Disadvantage of Using the Neutral Gear?

The only downside is that you will have less control over the car. To overcome it, you should practice running the car in that gear mode. It may save your life in some emergencies.

Does It Save Fuel?

Well, it’s just a myth. It has nothing to do with fuel efficiency since the engine is still running at Neutral. So, most vehicles will use the same amount of petrol in the idle state.

Is Driving in Neutral Dangerous?

Yes, it could be. You should not abruptly shift to that gear when you are driving on a highway at a great speed, except for emergencies. It drastically slows down the car and cuts down many wheel functions, which may cause accidents.


Source:
http://www.autoreportng.com/2018/02/what-is-use-of-neutral-gear-in.html


Lalasticlala
Seun
Mynd44
Marpol
Fynestboi

Whats your take in all these?

cc

Morning folks.

I'm here to learn

Rolling down a hilly surface

When you're in a long holdup, it's not advisable to apply the brakes for long while the gear is in drive

The use is neutral

Well I feel it should be scrapped

Nice write up

Some school of thought believe that auto cars can't be pushed at all when the engine is not running e.g, you have a bad ba3. The neutral allows the car to be pushed from point A to B.

useful tips to everyone especially d new driver's (learners)

It also helps when you need to push the darned car off the road if it breaks down. Stop telling us your car is an automatic and can't be pushed. People just be causing traffic upandan.

Have your car broke than in the middle of the road before? And you tried pushing it out to the road side.... That's when you know that neutral is not there for fancy...

jerflakes:
Rolling down a hilly surface

When you're in a long holdup, it's not advisable to apply the brakes for long while the gear is in drive

Nah
It's advisable you go for Pack when on hold up

When in Neutral, the Gear is disengaged from the engine. No damages done .

tunax5loon:
Some school of thought believe that auto cars can't be pushed at all when the engine is not running e.g, you have a bad ba3. The neutral allows the car to be pushed from point A to B.

What the school of thought is talking about is to push the to start if for instance you have bad or weak battery just the way it is done with manual cars. This is not possible with automatic but of course you can push from point A to B.

The 'Neutral' is engaged when in a hold-up.

Very useful if you are parking uphill or downhill.
Use the neutral to park the car with the hand/emergency brake

It is used only in naija to roll down towards a sloppy filling station without having to start the car with every movement during this fuel wahala. It prolongs the life of your keystarter and saves you some fuel as well. Advisable to queue at a downhill filling station and you'll see the benefit of neutral

Remember also the in an auto transmission the engine will not start unless its in park or Neutral

seenter84:
Very useful if you are parking uphill or downhill.
Use the neutral to park the car with the hand/emergency brake

Why not use the Park and the handbrake?

chiscodedon:
Have your car broke than in the middle of the road before? And you tried pushing it out to the road side.... That's when you know that neutral is not there for fancy...

I dey tell youuu!!!

I also push the gear to Neutral anytime I get to a red light or short stop.

spartan50:
Well I feel it should be scrapped

l use it when the traffic is not moving and at a u turn when i have to wait for a while, it puts less pressure on the engine and makes it relax. You will hear the sound change to a cool one.

It's very useful.

dabossman:
It also helps when you need to push the darned car off the road if it breaks down. Stop telling us your car is an automatic and can't be pushed. People just be causing traffic upandan.

True. But some rides can't shift from park to neutral if the engine isn't running tho. Most drivers are fond of shifting the gear to park instead of neutral while in a hold up, you know.

Neautral gear helps a lot even in manual cars. Check my Signature for your Aluminium windows.

Very informative
Thanks op

A brother needs a Driving job, he resides in lekki,pls kindly call 07036886002..tnx.

AutoReportNG:
Whats your take in all these?

sorry to derail topic. I just need ur opinion on a car dat is very low to the ground. What's solution do u have considering our bad roads and pot holes.
Do u think raising the vehicle by adding an inch of spring is bad?
Plz ur opinion really matters.
Tnx

I remember when my head gasket burnt due to overheating.. i had to put it on neutral so that another car could tow it.. and since its automatic, i had to disconnect tHE fan so that the battery doesn't run down..
when in hold up, since i do drive manual too, i'm already used to putting it in neutral so that i would free the clutch n just roll smoothly.. i do this to the auto too for no particular reason because i Still have to change the gear to 'drive' when the traffic starts moving

To push the car when e no gree start on top third mainland