[bigal26]

Hi Guys
I've been driving an auto car for many years now and I find that i'm very used to stepping on the brakes to slow down. I know that we can slow down by down shifting the gear. Will this have any effect on the gearbox? Which is better to do?

[TheGunner]

It depends on the situation. For example, if you're stopping for a traffic light or jam, the answer is simply to use the brakes to slow the car down.

However, if you're descending a slope and want to keep your speed in check, you should definitely use engine braking. If you use your brakes to slow the car down, the generated heat will boil the brake fluid and also reduce the effectiveness of your pads, causing a loss in braking performance.

[bigal26]

It depends on the situation. For example, if you're stopping for a traffic light or jam, the answer is simply to use the brakes to slow the car down.

However, if you're descending a slope and want to keep your speed in check, you should definitely use engine braking. If you use your brakes to slow the car down, the generated heat will boil the brake fluid and also reduce the effectiveness of your pads, causing a loss in braking performance.

The strage thing is if I go to Genting, I will always upshift or downshift to slow down. But in town on flat road, I don't. I'f I'm running fast on a straight and I see a car ahead, I tend to brake and not downshift. So what you say is at all times (of course not at trafffic lights), its better to downshift? Does that do any harm to the engine?

[TheGunner]

The strage thing is if I go to Genting, I will always upshift or downshift to slow down. But in town on flat road, I don't. I'f I'm running fast on a straight and I see a car ahead, I tend to brake and not downshift. So what you say is at all times (of course not at trafffic lights), its better to downshift? Does that do any harm to the engine?

Err... my statement did mean that for town driving purposes, you can just go ahead and use the brakes.

[bigal26]

Err... my statement did mean that for town driving purposes, you can just go ahead and use the brakes.

Bro Gunner
What I mean is for town driving or highway, will it do any harm to downshift to slow down (of course not until you hit the car in front )?
The reason I ask is my car has ETC which is "slope-sensing" so it knows to shift gears by itself. When on straights, it has no idea of what's in front, so it sticks to the highest gear until I brake. When doing that and re-accelerating, the pickup seems slower because of the gear change. Will downshifing, manually bring it closer to the right gear for it to better pickup again?

[TheGunner]

Bro Gunner
What I mean is for town driving or highway, will it do any harm to downshift to slow down (of course not until you hit the car in front )?
The reason I ask is my car has ETC which is "slope-sensing" so it knows to shift gears by itself. When on straights, it has no idea of what's in front, so it sticks to the highest gear until I brake. When doing that and re-accelerating, the pickup seems slower because of the gear change. Will downshifing, manually bring it closer to the right gear for it to better pickup again?

Well... I do use engine braking to slow down for corners as well. As long as you downshift to the right gear, you'll be fine.

[Gunnerzz]

Hi Guys
I've been driving an auto car for many years now and I find that i'm very used to stepping on the brakes to slow down. I know that we can slow down by down shifting the gear. Will this have any effect on the gearbox? Which is better to do?

Hi there,
FYI, modern autobox will downshift to aid braking.
Even a Proton has this in the Waja 1.8.Its called fuzzy logic.Different automaker has a different names.
This way,the car is always ready to accelerate.
The herder u brake,the earlier it downshift.
Older autobox dont have this feature so its always in the wrong gear when we step on the gas again.

Whenever i drives a manual,i will only uses engine braking when its needed.

[bigal26]

Hi there,
FYI, modern autobox will downshift to aid braking.
Even a Proton has this in the Waja 1.8.Its called fuzzy logic.Different automaker has a different names.
This way,the car is always ready to accelerate.
The herder u brake,the earlier it downshift.
Older autobox dont have this feature so its always in the wrong gear when we step on the gas again.

Whenever i drives a manual,i will only uses engine braking when its needed.

Hi Bro Gunnerzz
Many Gunner's here..
Yes the auto downshift will happen when I brake but when this happens, it takes a bit of time to shift up again if I accelerate immediately. Say I go from 100 to 40 using brakes vs manually downshifting from 4-3-2, which will respond faster when i re-accelerate again?

[kohf1drive]

I feel better traction at lower gear

[bigal26]

I feel better traction at lower gear

So manual downshift gives better "engine traction"?