Drive a Car with an Automatic Transmission in Winter. Problems and Useful Tips
In terms of operation, cars equipped with automatic transmissions differ from cars with manual transmissions, and it especially becomes obvious in winter time. That is why winter driving with the automatic transmission requires strict adherence to some rules.
The first modifications of automatic
transmissions hit the market in the sixties of the last century. Initially,
automatic transmissions were fairly simply mechanisms with 2-4 speeds. With the
development of technology, automatic transmissions have consistently improved
and ensured the maximum level of convenience and better driving experience. In
addition to improved dynamic performance, developers of automatic transmissions
managed to significantly reduce fuel consumption. According to statistics,
today 70 % of cars sold worldwide are equipped with automatic transmissions. Many
car owners have questions about proper usage of automatic transmissions in
winter as well as in summer time.
Some car owners mistakenly believe that it is enough to warm up the engine at idle speed for several minutes, but they often disregard the transmission warm-up. In such cases, drivers warm up only the engine oil, while the transmission fluid remains “cold”. Therefore, if you want to prolong the service life of your automatic transmission, it is better not to underestimate the importance of ATF warm-up.
Check out two videos with useful information on driving in winter
Why warm up the automatic
transmission in winter?
It must be said that operation characteristics of automatic transmissions and their durability directly depend on compliance with operating rules. Many car owners assume that automatic transmissions need only regular ATF change, and it will guarantee fault-free operation of the transmission. But, in fact, correct operation of the automatic transmission depends not only on the implementation of such fairly simple service work. It is crucial that drivers should run their cars properly and protect them from premature failure. There are numerous moving parts inside the transmission which are lubricated and cooled with a special transmission fluid. In winter, the transmission oil temperature may decrease significantly and it has a negative impact on technical characteristics of the fluid. Cold oil poorly lubricates moving parts of the transmission, which leads to their premature wear. That is why car manufacturers and specialists of transmission repair shops do not recommend starting to drive immediately from a standstill in winter time.
Automatic transmission
warm-up (pros and cons)
Despite numerous recommendations from car
manufacturers and repair specialists, the question of the transmission warm-up
remains controversial. If you browse the information on this issue on different
auto forums, some car owners strongly recommend warming up the transmission in
winter as well as in summer, while others argue that everything will be OK even
without the warm-up.
Some auto enthusiasts also recommend keeping the R-gear engaged for 1-2 minutes in severe weather, while other gears shall be engaged for 15-30 seconds (depending on the outside temperature). Longer delays in the reverse gear are caused by the fact that the maximum heat release in the automatic transmission occurs in the reverse mode. On the one hand, the abovementioned actions will inevitably cause increased fuel consumption. However, supporters of the automatic transmission warm-up think that it is the only way to achieve a certain level of transmission fluid dilution and heating before the car starts moving.
At the same time, opponents of the automatic
transmission warm-up claim that modern transmission fluids and, moreover,
advanced synthetic fluids do not change their operating properties even with
significant drops in temperature. In other words, transmission fluids have all
the necessary additives to maintain fluidity and other properties. It turns out
that ATF is fully synthetic, and it does not freeze and after a cold start the
automatic transmission works properly, i.e. the transmission is ready for loads.
Check out opinions on
the matter of car warm-up in winter
Some people also assume that the automatic
transmission warm-up comes from the engine, i.e. heat is transmitted as a
result of the engine operation. Moreover, frequent gear shifting leads to
additional wear of the transmission. Now let’s get this straight. First of all,
it should be noted that the refusal to warm up the automatic transmission because
of the fact that modern transmission fluids have required protective properties
is only partially justified. It is true if the transmission fluid has been
fully changed not long ago.
Although ATF doesn’t freeze in winter, results
of numerous practical tests proved that the transmission fluid changes its
viscosity due to cold weather. If the fluid is comparatively fresh the viscosity
level changes insignificantly, but if the transmission fluid hasn’t been
changed for 30-40 thousand kilometers the process of oil thickening will be
much more intensive.
No wonder that the opponents of the automatic
transmission warm-up usually turn out to be the owners of new cars, where the
transmission wear is minimal and the fluid is fresh. Owners of new cars usually
do not feel any difference whether they start moving with a “warmed-up” or “cold”
transmission fluid, the drivers do not feel any jerks while changing gears.
More-experienced car owners with older cars know that if they do not warm up the transmission before starting from a standstill, they will soon feel some kicks and jerks. At the same time, these symptoms will disappear after running 10-15 km (this distance is enough for ATF to reach optimal operating temperatures).
How to warm-up your
automatic transmission properly
So, taking into account the abovementioned information, it is not difficult to guess that if the car owner wants to maximize the resource and extend the service life of the automatic transmission it is necessary to warm up. The same rule applies to the engine. It is important to know some ins and outs related to the automatic transmission warm-up. First of all, the engine is connected to the automatic transmission. The engine unit gets warmed up much faster than the transmission and it can transmit some part of heat to the transmission case, but in winter it is not enough to warm up the transmission fluid.
It also
should
be noted that
the automatic transmission has a separate oil cooler. In modern cars this
element is coupled with the main engine cooler. As a result, many people think
that the warmed-up
engine cooler can transmit some heat to ATF via the transmission cooler. In
this case the proper ATF warm-up also does not happen. It turns out that if you
just leave the car working at idle speed, it won’t be enough to warm up the
automatic transmission. The engine unit will warm up, but it won’t transmit
heat to the transmission in winter time. It is important to understand that you can
warm up the automatic transmission only under the load, i.e. when the
transmission is engaged. It is enough to remember the design and operation
principles of the torque converter, where the torque is transmitted from the
engine to the transmission via ATF. As a result, the transmission fluid warm-up
will be fast and efficient.
So, let’s consider the process of the automatic transmission warm-up in more detail. As a rule, the automatic transmission warm-up includes engagement of each speed when the car is stopped, i.e. the car stands still with the help of the pressed brake pedal without any jerks forward or backward. To put it simply, the driver starts the engine with the engaged P-gear, then presses the brake and engages all gears (R,N,D,2,1) one-by-one, lingering on each speed for 30-60 seconds. If you do not warm up the automatic transmission, the oil pressure parameter may be low (especially if the car owner hasn’t changed the fluid for a long time). The reason is the following: dirty and viscous oil does not pass through filters clogged with debris. As a result, the automatic transmission starts jerking and slipping with “cold” transmission fluid. In this case, we may have enhanced wear of clutches, solenoids, and damage of seals. Therefore, automatic transmissions must be warmed up.
When it comes to the transmission warm-up, the
temperature parameter also should be taken into consideration. When the
temperature is not very low (-5 °C), then it is necessary to engage each gear
of the automatic transmission for 10 seconds when the engine is started. After
that, you can start driving at a low speed (not exceeding 50 km/h) and avoid
any sudden accelerations (including kick-down mode). At the same time, you need
to drive about 10 km for a complete transmission warm-up.
If the temperature is below -15 °C, first of all, you need to start the engine and warm it up for about 15 minutes. During this time, some heat from the engine will be transmitted from the engine to the transmission case. Then you need to engage all transmission gears, lingering on each gear for 30-60 seconds. But do not overdo it! It is no use engaging each gear for several minutes (instead of required 30 seconds). At the same time, it is also not necessary to engage each gear several times. Even major carmakers recommend warming up the automatic transmission in case of severe frost.
How to drive the car with an autometic transmission in winter
The following rules are valid for cars equipped with any type of transmission, but for automatic transmissions they are especially relevant:
- Driving on the winter road should be as
smooth as possible without sudden accelerations or braking;
- The distance to the vehicle ahead must be
quite large. Do not forget that when the ABS system gets activated on a snowy
road (with possible ice built-up),
it will try to provide the vehicle with a linear path of motion, but the
braking distance, in this case, may be extended;
- The car must have winter-type tires (not
necessarily with studs, but with a cover protector);
- If starting from a standstill on a snowy road (when road adherence is not good enough), then it is desirable to switch to the manual control mode and forcibly engage the 2-nd or the 3-rd gear; this measure will help to reduce the likelihood of wheel slipping and avoid skidding. Some cars have the “W” (winter) mode, it must be activated;
Gear-stick with a winter mode
More info about engine
braking
In winter, drivers need to constantly use the pedal brake due to the lack of the engine braking effect. When the D gear is engaged, the automatic transmission does not respond to the chop deceleration in the way that a regular manual transmission does. But for this purpose reduction gears or semi-automatic mode can and should be used. On a very slippery road you should be prepared for the possibility that the downshifting may lead to the slippage of the drive wheels and rear axle skidding or understeering. In this case, if you have the front-wheel drive – keep the gas pedal pressed, with the rear-wheel drive – release the pedal, and when driving an all-wheel drive car – release the pedal and immediately press it smoothly.
If you have an old car without a speed governor, you have to pay attention to the revolution tachometer when using reduction gears in order not to overload the engine. Modern transmissions, for example, will not allow the driver to shift from the 4-th to the 2-nd gear at the speed of 110 km/h. You need to understand that the engine braking option is relevant only if you have a sufficient reserve of space on the road. The efficiency of this type of braking with the automatic transmission is much lower than with a manual transmission. This is due to the effect of the torque converter slipping.
Learn more about engine braking
Overtaking
In winter, the most important thing when overtaking other cars is to ensure that the automatic transmission will not upshift at the most inappropriate moment. It will lead to the loss of speed. For such cases, some automatic transmissions have the OD (Overdrive) mode which must be switched off when overtaking (OD OFF) other cars. This measure will prevent any upshifts. When the D gear is engaged and it is necessary to get a significant acceleration, the automatic transmission needs some time to respond to “pedal-to-the-floor” action. Why wait for a kick-down (automatic downshifting) if you can shift to a lower gear manually? This simple action can save you 1-2 seconds on the oncoming traffic lane and will help to avoid potential road accidents. If your car has a sport mode, turn it on when overtaking other cars.
Driving downhill
Driving downhill has a much stronger effect on the braking path than driving up the hill, which decreases the braking path. This factor should be considered when choosing the speed. Use low gears when driving on more or less dry surface in order not to overheat the brakes. Use the pedal brake on slippery slopes. Many owners of cars equipped with automatic transmissions often forget about a handbrake, using only the P (Parking) mode. When parking the car on a slope, the car weight impacts the transmission shaft lock (P mode) and negatively affects its service life. In fact, it is necessary to do the following: firstly engage the handbrake and then shift to the P gear. Bear in mind that when parking the car with the help of the handbrake it may lead to freezing of brake pads.
Drive uphill
It is not an easy task to start the car from being parked up the hill.
The main thing is to avoid spinning of wheels and sudden hits on the gas pedal.
It is quite difficult to catch the moment of slipping in cars with automatic
transmissions, thus the driver should act smoothly.
Skidding
Short-time engagements of the N gear on a slippery road is an efficient solution against the car skidding. Contrary to a popular belief, this measure cannot break the automatic transmission. Instant and careful N gear actuation stabilizes the car and skidding stops (when depressing the clutch pedal). The same measure is recommended when taking a turn at low speeds or slow maneuvering on a slope. Under such conditions, the car may not obey the brakes and continue to slide in an undesirable direction. Short-time N gear actuation allows the driver to align the rotation of wheels and stabilize the car. When skidding on the winter road, especially in RWD cars, it is extremely important to synchronize the operation of the gas pedal (which must be immediately released) and the steering wheel (which must be turned in the skid direction and then brought back to the initial position).
Night parking
Often it happens that the car cannot move in
the morning because the handbrake gets frozen in the “on” position. In most
cases, it is possible when snow accumulates near the rear brakes or when brakes
get frozen (for
example, when the car parks in a snowdrift). In this case, the driver gets in a
difficult situation: even if he hits the gas pedal and releases the brake,
frozen rear brake pads can distort disc wheels. That is why, if there is a risk
of the handbrake freezing, then it is better to engage the P gear. However,
this recommendation can be harmful on slopes – an excessive load on the
automatic transmission can cause damage. The driver should act as follows: press
the brake pedal, shift to the N gear, actuate the handbrake, release the brake
and shift to “P” mode after a full stop.
Transmission problems in winter and their solutions
-Wheel slipping effect on the
transmission wear in winter
In winter, automatic transmissions can be subjected to significant loads because of wheels slipping on the snowy road. As a result, it may lead to costly repair. Thus, in winter it is not recommended to drive the car equipped with the automatic transmission in an aggressive manner. Try to avoid skidding or slipping of the car on icy roads and it will help you to prevent failures of moving parts of the transmission. It is necessary to bear in mind timely ATF changes – this measure not only improves the process of gear shifting, but also will protect the valve body and other moving elements from failure. Most automakers recommend changing the transmission fluid every 60,000 kilometers. This procedure is not very complex and drivers can perform it by themselves. Before winter, it is necessary to check the fluid level and its state to ensure proper operation.
-Towing
If your car equipped with the automatic transmission breaks in the middle of the road, it is better to call a tow truck to deliver your car to the repair shop. In the worst case scenario, it is also possible to tow your car if the 50/50 condition is met. It means that the towing speed should not exceed 50 km/h and the towing distance should be within the range of 50 km. It is also necessary to engage the N gear before towing.
If you get stuck in the snowdrift, first of
all, it is necessary to switch off the ESP system because it won’t help in this
situation. Then, it is necessary to engage “D” and “R” gears (in turn) and try
to rouse your car to motion. When shifting gears, it is necessary to press the
brake pedal, and release it after a slight jerk in the transmission. If it
doesn’t help in getting out of the snow trap, then it’s better not to put the
transmission at risk and to call a tow-car.
-If after a stop the car cannot move from a standstill – one of the wheels slips on the ice, while the other one stays still – do not try to solve the problem just by pressing on the gas pedal! It can be very harmful for the automatic transmission. It is necessary to throw a little sand under both driving wheels (for such situations it is advisable to have some amount of sand in the rear trunk of your car). If there is no sand, then you can buy a package of coarse-ground salt at the nearest shop. This salt as well as sand will help to restore the grip of the wheels.
Transmission Servicing
Automatic transmissions are quite sophisticated units and car owners should not disregard the schedule of maintenance services. Otherwise, it may lead to highly-priced transmission repair. Thus, in addition to the transmission warm-up requirements, described above, drivers must not forget about regular transmission maintenance checks (transmission condition & ATF level). It is also necessary to remember about some simple rules such as: do not engage “P” or “R” gear when the car is moving, these gears can be actuated only in case of a full stop. The neutral (N) gear should be engaged during coasting only if your car is equipped with a manual transmission (and only in summer). If you press the gas and brake pedals simultaneously, it may lead to the transmission overheating. All in all, owners of cars equipped with automatic transmissions have to pay close attention to the proper transmission usage and its well-timed maintenance in winter.
