How to use the 5 speed automatic transmission for newbies.

[Cricket]

In dummy terms, please explain in detail how, and when, I use the 5 speed automatic transmission in my car?
(I have the idea that this may help in the wintertime, as sometimes my cars accelerator seems very touchy and may just cause my front tires to spin from a stop?)
Thank you.

[r4mi5awi]

This a troll account?

[Thrizzl3]

Put it in M mode and start off in gear 2. should reduce wheelspin from a stop.

lol this thread did give me a good chuckle.

[silverstarmazda]

put it in park and take a bus LOL jk


but in all honesty, all you gotta do is get use to the pedal sensitivity. if the car is cold it will probably be even more sensitive. let the car warm up and let the RPMs drop to normal idle (1000-750 for me on a cold day). after that its all about mastering pedal pressure. itll be even more hard if your wearing boots!

ive driven some older cars and i know what you mean. there are some cars out there with a really reaaaaalllly numb pedal. so switching cars can mess with you sometimes

[Cricket]

This a troll account?

No, but thanks for the warm welcome. I was referred here in the hopes to learn about my car and not be ridiculed.

Put it in M mode and start off in gear 2. should reduce wheelspin from a stop.

Thank you for specifying "gear 2".

ive driven some older cars and i know what you mean. there are some cars out there with a really reaaaaalllly numb pedal. so switching cars can mess with you sometimes

Thank you for understanding, this is exactly how my previous car was, lol.

[r4mi5awi]

My apologies. The amount of questionable threads popping up recently has made me a less forgiving forum member. Advice from other members thus far is exceptional. Only thing I can add is to also be prudent of mastering your brake pedal inputs. More importantly so in upcoming cold weather than accelerating. Many drivers easily forget of the lives behind them. Give yourself extra distance and brake early and gradually to avoid cars not only in front of you but behind you as well

[XTOTHEL]

I assume you're not trying to use the "manual" mode, instead you're wondering how you can prevent wheel spin.

Leave it in D, when going from a full stop, try keeping the RPM at around 2000, then slowly increase it to maybe 2500-3000 once you reach 30KM/h ish.

Really, it just takes time to get used to the car. Also winter, the tires are harder, roads are slipperier, maybe more spin.

If it is snowing really hard outside, roads are covered, letting the car roll on itself without pressing the gas pedal could help you to get moving.

[3GFX]

So a little more detail to answer your question as some of the answers thus far are just winter related.

In slippery conditions such as ice, snow or rain you can switch to manual and select 2^nd gear which will aid your situation as the higher gear ratio means less torque (less twisting force) is applied to the ground and reduces the chance of “slipping” the tires.

In dry conditions the manual setting is more or less for fun but has one other function that is debatable. If you are on a steep incline you can use the manual setting to hold a gear so that it is easier on the motor and transmission for climbing (by reducing the need for unnecessary gear shifts causing wear on the motor and keeping the engine revolutions higher utilizing more power and less strain on the motor). The same can be said for steep declines. By gearing down (selecting a lower gear) you can reduce the need for using the brakes by letting the engine and transmission “engine brake” which uses the motor the slow the car. I said debatable because in this instance it saves the brakes by reducing wear but is harder on the engine.

The fun part allows you to shift when you’d like and making the drive more engaging as you can better predict the gear you would need for the next corner/turn than the automatic cpu would.

Hope that all helps in some way!

[Cricket]

If I try 2nd gear from a full stop to avoid wheel spin during slippery conditions, do I leave it in 2nd gear around town, or do I up shift into regular "D"rive once I get going?

I know this stuff is second nature to you guys, so I really appreciate your patience and advice!

[XTOTHEL]

When you hit 3000 RPM and you're not going any faster, flick the D.

[zoomister]

In dummy terms, please explain in detail how, and when, I use the 5 speed automatic...

Hey, it's automatic so you don't need to use it except when changing between forward and reverse. But seriously, an automatic in "D" is always generating forward force which must be controlled with the brake pedal. I see this all the time where some idiot is watching the other light at an intersection and drifts forward before the light changes so that the pedestrian crosswalk is blocked. If your car idles a bit high, you may notice the same thing and take advantage on a slippery day. But practice for a deft touch on the gas pedal and get some good tires.

[Jackal]

If I try 2nd gear from a full stop to avoid wheel spin during slippery conditions, do I leave it in 2nd gear around town, or do I up shift into regular "D"rive once I get going?

I know this stuff is second nature to you guys, so I really appreciate your patience and advice!

Put it in second only when you want the wheels to be less touchy as you put it. You'd need to put it back in D mode after.

Another thing tip is when you're in fifth gear on the highway and you want to pass you can press the accelerator hard and it will shift to 4th gear. Zoom zoom past the car then let off a bit to get back to 5th.
Another thing you don't have is DSC (dynamic stability control) which is in GTs and maybe GS models. It slows down wheel spin or the wheels will slow down if it slips on ice. Also if one wheel starts spinning it will slow that wheel down to match the other wheel. Some people like and some don't.
Fun times. Anyway you've driven 84,000 km with this car so you must be somewhat used to it.

[3GFX]

If I try 2nd gear from a full stop to avoid wheel spin during slippery conditions, do I leave it in 2nd gear around town, or do I up shift into regular "D"rive once I get going?

I know this stuff is second nature to you guys, so I really appreciate your patience and advice!

You can flick it over to D once you get moving. The computer will then decide when to shift again.

[Canadianbacon]

I usually Rev to 2000-3000RPM with my Corksport CBE racepipe, get the perfect sound flick into M mode gear 1, wheel spin vtec kicks in.

[Cricket]

... and get some good tires.

I bought a set of "Toyo Observe GSi5 Winter Tires".

...Another thing you don't have is DSC (dynamic stability control) ... you've driven 84,000 km with this car so you must be somewhat used to it.

Aha! That's what's missing! Yes, I will miss the stability control, I had it in my previous car and it came in handy a couple times.
(I bought the car used, just a couple months ago, lol).