| july31990 |
| Is it bad to change the gears (d5 to d4) while driving on the freeway? Is it bad for the transmission? |
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| highmath |
I don't think it is bad for the tranny, but why would you want too?
For freeway driving you want to be in the highest gear possible for the best fuel mileage. I would just leave it in D5 unless you are in stop-n-go traffic at less than 35mph, then D4 or D3 would be more practical. |
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| vtech016 |
| any expert advice would be appreciated, i also do this at times, shift from d5 to d4. i do this sometimes to slow down, to avoid braking really hard. shifting to d4 slows down the car. please let me know if this is bad for tranny or anything. thanks |
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| EXCALIBUR |
quote:
Originally posted by vtech016
any expert advice would be appreciated, i also do this at times, shift from d5 to d4. i do this sometimes to slow down, to avoid braking really hard. shifting to d4 slows down the car. please let me know if this is bad for tranny or anything. thanks
The consensus is: D4 is great for stop and go city driving. D5 is the way to go on the freeway. |
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| BLEXV6 |
quote:
Originally posted by vtech016
any expert advice would be appreciated, i also do this at times, shift from d5 to d4. i do this sometimes to slow down, to avoid braking really hard. shifting to d4 slows down the car. please let me know if this is bad for tranny or anything. thanks
Lets just say a brake job is a lot cheaper than a tranny job, and as such I would not be gearing down with an auto tranny, rather, use the brakes. |
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| july31990 |
| So d5 is best gas mileage for highway and d4 is best for city use? |
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| G. COLTON |
quote:
Originally posted by july31990
So d5 is best gas mileage for highway and d4 is best for city use?
The computer in the MDX is pretty smart.
I leave the gear selector in D5 at all times. The vehicle knows when it needs to shift to a lower or higher gear. I cannot imagine what you would gain by using D4 around town.
G |
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| shootist |
quote:
Originally posted by G. COLTON
The computer in the MDX is pretty smart.
G
I concur. If you read the owners manual, it gives you some reasons to drop to D4. Trailering is one. Long descents is another.
But the 'puter already detects when you're climbing a hill, and holds the tranny in a lower gear longer toavoid a lot of shifts. It detects when you're braking and going down a hill, and downshifts. (This is sometimes a mildly objectionable jerk as the tranny downshifts).
You won't get into fifth gear around most cities. The 'puter won't shift into high, locked overdrive unless you're cruising. |
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| SilveradoMDX |
quote:
Originally posted by G. COLTON
The computer in the MDX is pretty smart.
I leave the gear selector in D5 at all times. The vehicle knows when it needs to shift to a lower or higher gear. I cannot imagine what you would gain by using D4 around town.
G
Didn't know that. That's very good to know. Thanks. |
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| pianoman41 |
quote:
Originally posted by vtech016
any expert advice would be appreciated, i also do this at times, shift from d5 to d4. i do this sometimes to slow down, to avoid braking really hard. shifting to d4 slows down the car. please let me know if this is bad for tranny or anything. thanks
Engine braking on a regular basis in an automatic is not recommended for the long-term health of your transmission--especially if you have an '01-'03. Besides, D4 and D5 are both overdrive gears so dropping to D4 isn't really going to accomplish any engine braking to speak of. Not until you get to D3 would you really see some braking. However, as others pointed out it's a lot cheaper to replace brake pads than a transmission. |
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| msc1099 |
quote:
Originally posted by highmath
I don't think it is bad for the tranny, but why would you want too?
For freeway driving you want to be in the highest gear possible for the best fuel mileage. I would just leave it in D5 unless you are in stop-n-go traffic at less than 35mph, then D4 or D3 would be more practical.
Why shift at all, it will take care of it. |
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| kunB |
| i too had the same question a while back. I would like to shift to D4 when I encounter little traffice (5-15 miles) , and then when the traffic clears up and when the vehicle is travelling above 40 miles, then shift to D5 (witout really stopping the car). |
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| devil421 |
| We used to go through this debate years ago on motorcycle forums that I frequented. The consensus was that its easier and cheaper to replace brake pads than piston rings. Engine braking is for semi's not passenger vehicles. |
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