Learning how to downshift an automatic transmission might seem like a strange skill to acquire. After all, isn’t the entire point of an automatic to not have to do any of that work while you’re cruising around? You’d be right with that assumption, but there are many kinds of auto gearboxes on the market today, with some offering the chance to get more involved in the driving process. There are also a few instances where knowing how to downshift an autobox could help you out of a tough situation.
Down Shift Ology
Why Downshift?
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There’s one main reason why you’d want to downshift an automatic transmission: to select the right gear for the driving situation you’re facing. In most cases the computerized brain that controls you transmission is going to be light-years ahead of you in determining which cog should be up next while you’re on the road. However, that same computer doesn’t have access to your eyes and ears, and so it can’t see what’s coming up ahead.
Low Gear For Low Traction
A perfect example is when you find yourself dealing with a low-traction situation. If you’re slipping through mud, or trying to get yourself out of a snowbank, it doesn’t do any good for your automatic transmission to spin the wheels through three gears if you’re not moving forward. Downshifting to first or second gear — sometimes labeled as “L” on your gear selector — can help you find the grip you need by keeping torque under control.
Starting out in a lower gear and benefiting from all of that torque multiplication can also be a big help when towing a heavy trailer, or when trying to help slow that same load down in conjunction with your brakes.
Dual-Clutch Performance
The proliferation of dual-clutch “automated manual” transmissions give you another reason to learn how to downshift. These gearboxes feature a pair of internal clutches instead of a traditional torque converter automatic, which allows them to pre-select the next gear and offer lightning-quick changes at speed. Downshifting one of these transmissions — usually with a steering wheel-mounted paddle — is very similar to using a standard manual transmission, only without a clutch pedal, and often with automatic throttle-blipping to smooth everything out. Think of it as a high-performance manual box that will also shift itself when you don’t want to get involved, like when you’re sitting in rush hour traffic.
Downshifting
Downshifting an automatic transmission can be a practical skill, if you also learn when and where to use it. Low-traction situations, towing or just having fun in a dual-clutch sports car are all scenarios where you might want to manually intervene in the shifting process, giving you more control over power delivery and letting you get that much more involved in the task at hand.
Check out all the drivetrain parts available on NAPA Online or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on your automatic transmission, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.
Down Shift Magazine
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Benjamin Hunting View All
Having been bitten by the car bug at a young age, I spent my formative years surrounded by Studebakers at car shows across Quebec and the northeastern United States. Over ten years of racing, restoring, and obsessing over automobiles lead me to balance science writing and automotive journalism full time. I currently contribute as an editor to several online and print automotive publications, and I also write and consult for the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.
Down Shift Game
When coming to a stop, my wife uses only the clutch and brakes of her 5-speed Honda Accord and doesn't shift until she has stopped. I was taught to slow a car with a manual transmission by downshifting through the gears and then applying the brakes after shifting into second gear. My wife says that either alternative wears out parts of the car and she would just as soon wear out the brakes and not go through the hassle of downshifting. I maintain that the transmission is designed to take the strain of downshifting and that my method will result in fewer repair costs. Who's right?
Mike
RAY: Well, Mike, on behalf of the Board Of Augmented Transmission-related Payments (BOAT-Payments), I'd like to thank you for increasing the number of clutch replacements this year, and in doing so, helping local mechanics keep current on their discretionary installment loans.
TOM: You're right that the engine and transmission really couldn't care less when you downshift, but what you don't realize is that the clutch really suffers.
RAY: So, Mike, as much as we hate to do this in so public a forum, we're going to have print right here in the newspaper that your wife seems to know more about driving than you do. We realize that your pride and reputation were both on the line when you sent in this question, and that because of our answer, you'll probably be saying a lot more 'yes, dears' than you would have liked over the next twenty to thirty years, but that's the risk you take when you go public with something like this, Mike.
TOM: When approaching a red light, the first thing you should do is step on the brakes. When the engine speed drops to near idle (before it starts to buck), step on the clutch. Then put the car in Neutral and let the clutch out. If you keep your foot on the clutch pedal while coasting or waiting for the light to change, you're wearing out an important part of the clutch called the clutch release bearing.
TOM: When it's time to move again, push in the clutch, put the car in first gear, and drive away. If you're not sure when to do this, just wait for guy behind you to start blowing the horn.