When can I safely change gears?

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Ryan - 05 Aug 2007 05:52 GMT

I've driven auto-trans car for a while but only till these days I
start trying gear 3 and 2.

I was driving on mountain roads in Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone.
Switching from gear D to 3 or 2 will make going up-slope and down-
slope much easier.

However I'm not sure whether I can keep doing these while driving
without damaging my engine. For example when the car was at 60miles/
hour going down-slope, I switched from gear D to 3 or 2 to get better
control of the car. I also sometimes drive at gear 3 for a long time
even on straight road at speed 60-65.

Another dumb question is will using lower gear especially for down-
slope save the brake? It looks like the speed limit of lower gears can
control the car without requiring constant braking.

Thanks!

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Andrew Chaplin - 05 Aug 2007 13:41 GMT

> I've driven auto-trans car for a while but only till these days I
> start trying gear 3 and 2.
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> slope save the brake? It looks like the speed limit of lower gears can
> control the car without requiring constant braking.

Generally, you should move the gear lever when the engine is not under load
and when the change to a lower gear will not over-rev the engine.

Compression braking through the restriction of the shift pattern of an
automatic may be advisable in cases where the brakes may overheat; steep
mountain roads may well be a case where it is warranted. Your brakes are
cheaper than your transmission but, if there is a possibility they may fade to
a point of ineffectiveness, staying in lower gears may be a good idea.

You might have a look at your owner's manual and re-read the section on
operation of the transmission.

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Andrew Chaplin
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