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Frugal and Energy Efficient Living

Eleanors38

(18,318 posts)

3. On older cars, excessive coasting using automatic transmission.

Reply to Curmudgeoness (Reply #2)

Tue Apr 8, 2014, 09:18 PM

Apr 2014

Most cars w/ auto trannys can be damaged or ruined if towed or coasted, even in neutral. The differential will still spin the drive train thru the transmission, but without the engine running, fluid is not circulating through the internals, therefore friction and damage. Some allow short distances at -20 mph. Nowadays, wreckers just get the drive wheels off the pavement when towing.

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How to survive when your car stalls... [View all] Eleanors38 Apr 2014 OP

Thanks for the advice. I'll remember it and hope it never happens. n/t RebelOne Apr 2014 #1

Once you know what happens, you can get out of harm's way Eleanors38 Apr 2014 #4

I had a car stall on me once Curmudgeoness Apr 2014 #2

On older cars, excessive coasting using automatic transmission. Eleanors38 Apr 2014 #3

and then people wonder why I like manual gejohnston May 2014 #5

Yep. Strong reason for a clash box. There used to be a big MPG diff, Eleanors38 May 2014 #6

but my Cruze has electric power steering and brakes happyslug Sep 2014 #7