Automatic cars are automobiles designed with an automatic transmission, a computer-controlled component that eliminates the need for drivers to shift gears manually. Many people choose these vehicles because they are more reliable and much easier to drive. However, it’s worth noting that automatic transmission cars are not without their issues.
There’s a common misconception that automatic vehicles can’t be pushed. While this is partially true, it’s important to fully understand what the phrase actually means.
Automatic vehicles can be pushed. However, it should only be done under certain circumstances. In addition, it shouldn’t be done fast or for a long distance. Moreover, if you’re looking to push your automatic vehicle to start the engine when the battery is dead, this may not be possible.
Is it ok to push an automatic car in neutral? Can a broken-down automatic vehicle be pushed? What is the best way to push an automatic car with a dead battery? These are the frequently asked questions that you’ll find answers to as you read through the rest of this article.
Is It Okay To Push An Automatic Car In Neutral?
You can always push your automatic transmission car in neutral.
In case you don’t know, all automatic transmission car’s gear levels have their functions. As for neutral gear, one of its primary functions is for pushing cars. We’ll go into details of that as we progress through this article.
Automatic Gear Shift Letters, Numbers, And Their Functions
In most US automatic transmission cars, you’ll find a series of letters on the shift lever, spelled out as PRNDL. All these letters have their meaning and individual functions.
The first letter “P” stands for the Park Setting. The primary function of the park setting is to lock gears, preventing the wheels from spinning backward and forward. That said, it’s safe to say that you can use “P” or the park setting as a brake when driving your automatic transmission.
The second letter, “R” stands for Reverse. You can engage the gear when trying to drive your car backward.
The letter “N” stands for free spinning mode or neutral. By engaging the Neutral setting, you’re simply releasing the gears. This move will allow the tires to spin freely. Furthermore, “N” is ideal for the situation, where your car engine fails to start and you need to tow or push it to start.
The last two letters, “D” and “L” mean Drive and Low drive, respectively. “D” is the most used gear setting, as it’s what people often used to drive around.
That said, the bottom line is that it’s okay to push your automatic transmission vehicle in neutral. That’s the perfect “gear setting” that you can use if your engine fails to start and you need to push your car a short distance to get it started.
Can A Broken-Down Automatic Vehicle Be Pushed?
Depending on the nature of the breakdown, you can always push your broken-down automatic vehicle. “Car break-down” can happen because of a lot of things. For instance, it could happen when you run out of gas or your engine stops running. Furthermore, break-down could also mean that your vehicle’s axle is broken or your brake caliper has seized.
In the case where you have a broken-down automatic vehicle as a result of engine failure or out of gas, you can always push out of the road for safety reasons.
However, if your car breaks down because your battery is dead, trying to push the vehicle just to start will not work. The best you can do, in this case, is to jump-start the automatic transmission vehicle, using another car’s battery (the right one) to bring it back to life.
Furthermore, when pushing your automatic car, there are a couple of things that you need to keep in mind. First, you need to avoid pushing the car too fast. In addition to this, also avoid pushing the car too far. All you need to do is to turn the ignition key to the “on” position, shift the gear to neutral, then follow the right steps.
How Do You Push An Automatic Car With A Dead Battery?
It’s not possible to push an automatic car with a dead battery to start. The only thing you can do is to push the car a short distance, just to keep it in a safe place.
The push start technique doesn’t work for automatic transmission vehicles with dead batteries. However, in case the car stopped in the middle of the road, you can always push it away from the road to a safer place. To do that, you need to put the gear in neutral and find a couple of people to help you push it gently and safely.
But after pushing the car to a safe place, what’s next? Here’s where the need to jumpstart the automatic transmission vehicle comes into the scene.
Here’s How To Jumpstart Your Automatic Transmission Car
As you now know, push-starting an automatic vehicle doesn’t work. Since that’s the case, the next technique you can try out is to jumpstart the vehicle.
There are two ways you can jumpstart your automatic transmission car. The first one involves using another car’s battery and booster cables to start your car. This way, energy can be transmitted directly from the active battery to your dead battery.
The second option is to use a portable battery charger. You can use the device by plugging it into the cigarette lighter.