Novice car enthusiasts ask experts “whether it’s possible to skid with an automatic transmission.” Even before the automatic machine entered the lives of modern car owners, there were many debates on this topic. Some experts were even inclined to believe that with two radiators on a frame SUV, you can overcome mud and swamps.
But, after several dozen experiments, experienced car owners can accurately answer that skidding or a sharp start can only be done by mechanics. The automatic is designed for city roads and does not tolerate swamps.
Operating principle of the machine
The operating principle of the automatic transmission is:
- The pump wheel in the torque converter builds up pressure and moves lubricating fluid to the turbine.
- The donut transmits torque to the planetary gear when the drive clutch from the drive shaft is engaged.
- And the valve body sets the algorithm for oil circulation and gear movement in the planetary gear by shifting gears.
Due to the fact that an automatic transmission is an independent system, almost independent of a person, it is prohibited to slip on an automatic transmission.
Attention! You cannot move a vehicle out of a snowdrift by rocking back and forth, as manual drivers do. Constantly switching the selector lever will not only damage the switch itself, but will also harm the automatic transmission.
When not to skid
Do not try to skid on an automatic transmission if your car is one of the old monsters of the last century. Cars with high mileage suffer from severe wear of the torque converter. The transmission cooling radiator becomes clogged over time, which requires immediate replacement of the automatic transmission. If you are the owner of such a car and are not ready to give up your beloved friend, try not to go on long routes in heavy snow drifts.
If your car is “Japanese” or “European” of an old model, it may have a built-in air cooling system for the automatic transmission, while auxiliary external blades are installed on the surface of the torque converter, which circulate air to relieve the temperature. These automatic transmissions can only cool during movement, so slipping on them is contraindicated.
Conclusion 5. Modern car models from Japanese and European manufacturers with automatic transmissions do not suffer from this drawback; they will get you out of the snowdrifts without any problems.
For a true car enthusiast or an experienced professional, there are no insoluble problems on the roads. The main thing is to know your car like your own and listen to the advice of driving sages.
What happens to an automatic transmission when it slips?
The consequences of the machine slipping are fraught with major repairs of the automatic transmission. As the temperature inside the machine rises, the friction force of the metal parts against each other increases.
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Reasons for the appearance of shocks in the automatic transmission after an oil change
Automatic transmission components suffer:
- torque converter. In addition to wear and tear on the pump wheel and turbine, the “donut” can warp from high temperatures if the car owner likes to slip frequently. Due to high pressure, turbine and pump blades break;
- As the temperature rises, soft clutches turn into scraps of paper and stick to metal discs;
- the lubricant thickens, loses the properties inherent in it by the manufacturer, and does not perform its function. It can also burn to the walls of the valve body channels. The gears will jam and the car will not be able to move.
These are just the main three reasons. If there is frequent slipping, the vehicle will be constantly under repair. Therefore, experts say that you should not skid with an automatic transmission.
Attention! If the car owner skids for a long time, then the electronic mechanisms of the machine can independently block the engine and go into emergency mode to protect themselves from overheating.
But in the Russian climate it is very difficult in winter not to stall in a snowdrift. Experienced car owners install an additional cooling radiator on the machine. It will help cope with overheating of the transmission fluid not only during slipping, but also in the summer.
Read
Reasons for automatic transmission going into emergency mode and ways to reset the error
Do not overheat the coupling
An automatic transmission is structurally different from a manual transmission. The torque converter has a torque-transmitting clutch that operates by rotating two impeller wheels in an oil reservoir. There is no direct connection between them. The output shaft of the engine is not directly attached to the input shaft of the machine; viscous oil connects them. It is spun by the impeller, passes through the intermediate stater and, by inertia, presses on the other impeller of the box. If you keep it from rotating with a brake, then only the motor shaft will move.
Is it possible to skid on an automatic transmission (how to move off correctly if stuck in a snowdrift)
Many beginners ask the question “why you can’t skid.” What to do with a car stuck in a mud rut. Experts answer this question that in rare cases it is possible to slip, but not often and without fanaticism.
For a car with front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, there are rules. Which should not be neglected.
Front-wheel drive
On front wheel drive vehicles the rules are as follows:
- Do not use the selector lever position "Forward" or "D". This will lead to gear shifting in accelerated mode and the automatic transmission will experience heavy loads. But the car will remain in place.
- Place the machine in low gear or “L” mode. Set the first or second speed. Try to get out of the snowdrift using these gears.
- If you can’t move the car, it’s better to call someone for help to push the vehicle or pull it out with a second car.
Read
How to check the automatic transmission when buying a used car
Experts recommend keeping the wheels straight and putting something under them. It is advisable to use boards under the front wheels. The car will have a stop, and it will be able to drive out without strain.
Rear drive
Many car owners do not know how to properly drive out of a mud rut or snowdrift if the vehicle has rear-wheel drive. There are no big differences with front-wheel drive.
Only, if the car owner will use objects to place under the wheels in order to drive out, then it is advisable to place them under the rear tires. Since a vehicle with rear-wheel drive is driven by the rear wheels.
Four-wheel drive
SUVs with all-wheel drive are also not designed for long periods of slipping. The car will slip in snowdrifts and on muddy roads, but the automatic transmission will not last long.
Since the weight of a passenger car is 1 ton, and an SUV weighs 3 tons. Therefore, the load on the machine is large. It can fail faster after a few slips, while a car with an automatic transmission can withstand another ten.
Read
What is kickdown and how to use it correctly on an automatic machine
Therefore, the answer to the question whether it is possible to slip on SUVs with all-wheel drive is an unequivocal no. Experts say that if you accidentally drive into a snowdrift or a mud rut, you can still drive in by skidding. But it is not recommended to specifically participate in mud rallies.
Let's sum it up
If slipping, jolting or jerking in the automatic transmission begins to appear when the car is moving, you need to contact a service station for high-quality and accurate diagnostics.
In the first case, the nature of the breakdown is determined based on the readings of diagnostic instruments; it is often possible to normalize the operation of the box using a trivial procedure.
In the second case, in order to determine the degree of complexity of the breakdown, the automatic transmission is dismantled and completely disassembled. The specified actions are carried out if the cause of box slipping may be a malfunction of the valve body or a malfunction of the automatic transmission friction rings.
Accordingly, the cost of the repairs performed will depend on the specific breakdown of the automatic transmission and the total scope of work. It is important to remember that even a simple change of oil and oil filter in a machine is a rather labor-intensive and costly procedure. For this reason, you need to clarify in advance how much it costs to change the oil in an automatic transmission.
Checking the oil level in an automatic transmission: how to check the ATF level. What else to pay attention to: color, smell, ATP contamination, etc.
- Automatic transmission solenoid: design of solenoids, operating principle. Frequent malfunctions and breakdowns of solenoid valves, diagnostics, repair and replacement.
Novice car enthusiasts ask experts “whether it’s possible to skid with an automatic transmission.” Even before the automatic machine entered the lives of modern car owners, there were many debates on this topic. Some experts were even inclined to believe that with two radiators on a frame SUV, you can overcome mud and swamps.
But, after several dozen experiments, experienced car owners can accurately answer that skidding or a sharp start can only be done by mechanics. The automatic is designed for city roads and does not tolerate swamps.
What to do if you get stuck
If a car owner gets stuck in a snowdrift or on a mud rut in winter, then he should not do the following:
- rock the car, changing the position of the selector handle from “R” to “D” and vice versa;
- do not skid in “D” mode;
- slipping on European vehicles on an air-cooled automatic;
- turn off the ignition, wait until it cools down and, without warming up the box, start slipping;
- move away abruptly with slipping. This will only cause the car to sit deeper.
The following are the rules that you need to use if your car is stuck in a snowdrift:
- warm up the vehicle after each break;
- Once moving, do not press the gas pedal to the floor;
- keep the wheels pointing straight ahead;
- clear snow or dirt in front of the front and rear wheels;
- skid for no more than three minutes. Allow the machine to cool and start the engine to warm up. In winter, warm up for ten minutes;
- Do not slow down suddenly. Otherwise, the wheels will polish the sliding plane. It will prevent the tires from gripping the road.
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Replacing the oil filter in an automatic transmission
If the driver was able to foresee that he would be slipping, then experts recommend stopping slowly and moving the selector lever to the “R” position. Then also slowly drive back and turn onto a flat track.
If you have to automatically pull out a car using another vehicle, then this must be done smoothly. Before the vehicle is pulled out of the snowdrift, it is necessary to check whether the cable is fastened well enough.
Tow in first gear only if the cable is taut. If the driver cannot pull the car out of the rut, then it is necessary to place corrugated mats under the wheels. This will improve tire grip.
The car owner should always have a shovel in the trunk in case the vehicle gets stuck in a snowdrift. It can quickly clear the snow and get out of a snow-covered rut.
You won't be able to swing
You cannot perform the so-called rocking on a car with an automatic transmission. For example, when getting into a mud trap, a car with a manual transmission had to be pushed forward and backward by frequent switching to the first and rear stages of the gearbox. These swings in opposite directions brought the body into resonance, the amplitude of the vibrations increased, and the car could jump out of the mud hole.
This cannot be done automatically. Switching the box from mode D to position R takes a noticeable period of time. When moving the selector, the automatic machine first opens the clutches, moves the gears to neutral, and then closes them again in such an order as to ensure reverse movement. The whole procedure takes a couple of seconds, but this is not enough to keep up with the vibrations of the body. The box does not have time to quickly change from D to R, as happens in a manual transmission, and the automatic transmission simply cannot resonate.
