Will downshifting in an automatic damage the transmission/engine?

[davidg4781]

So 3 times over the past week I've had some close encounters, twice with a cow and tonight with a deer.

Tonight, I just used my break but was wondering... if needed, could I downshift into a lower gear like 2 or 1? I'd probably just shoot for 1 if it was an "emergency! I need to stop now!" type situation. I know it'll raise the engine revs but if I'm slammed on the brakes, this should be dropping pretty quick to begin with.

Just something I was thinking about driving home.

[mikeyd914]

I've been downshifting the gears for 4 years straight in my auto tranny. It's perfectly fine it doesn't damage the transmission. The only thin with shifting into first gear is you should not go fast and downshift to 1st cuz it can cause your car to to jerk a little bit. Downshift to first at around 10mph and it's fine

[Aviography]

Not a great idea, there are very few legitimate reasons to manually down shifting an automatic transmission like the ones used in the Accord, if you are trying to conserve brakes from overheating on a long downhill grade while towing or carrying a heavy load is one reason, if your brake started to fail then by all means try to down shift, but when you are trying to avoid hitting an animal in an emergency, then you should be concentrating in braking and steering, NOT down shifting an automatic transmission.

Can you do it is one thing, should you do it is a totally different issue, majority of the modern automatic transmissions should just be left alone to do its job as intended by the engineers who designed them.

[Mechanic]

^this! Use your brakes. Brakes are cheap to repair or replace; transmissions aren't. No exceptions.

[mikeyd914]

there is nothing wrong with using your gears to drive in an auto tranny. ive been doing it for 4 years in my accord every SINGLE day, and also Bpearl2010 also drives like that and he BEATS THE CRAP out of his car with all of his engine mods and he is also running NOS in his car...

[Dreamacre]

Originally Posted by Mechanic

^this! Use your brakes. Brakes are cheap to repair or replace; transmissions aren't. No exceptions.

+1

[Hytekazn]

Will someone else confirm this also...I also downshift to d3 to pick-up and switch back to D when i gain enough rpms' I do it once in a blue moon for the thrill. But not a daily Like mike.

[nehonda]

Just because someone has been downshifting for years, does not mean its the right thing to do. The less you beat your vehicle the longer it will last. Not only does downshifting increase the stress on your transmission, it wastes gas due to the higher engine revs. Brakes are designed for stopping, not the engine and transmission.

[07AccordEx-L]

Originally Posted by Mechanic

^this! Use your brakes. Brakes are cheap to repair or replace; transmissions aren't. No exceptions.

THIS x1000000
I'll never understand why automatic owners try to drive their cars like manuals. If you really wanna brake a lot faster, upgrade to a BBK and spacers if you wanna keep your stock wheels.

[GoLowDrew]

Originally Posted by Mechanic

^this! Use your brakes. Brakes are cheap to repair or replace; transmissions aren't. No exceptions.

Originally Posted by Dreamacre

+1

Given how finicky Honda ATs can be, why would we want to do that.

Like others said, you downshift when you need to. It won't hurt your car. I've done this going downhill, because felt that I should (to be safe).

But don't do it just for the sake of it. It's not a DSG. I think the paddles (on the 11+ give the owners the wrong impression.

[mikeyd914]

Originally Posted by nehonda

Just because someone has been downshifting for years, does not mean its the right thing to do. The less you beat your vehicle the longer it will last. Not only does downshifting increase the stress on your transmission, it wastes gas due to the higher engine revs. Brakes are designed for stopping, not the engine and transmission.

your car downshifts when u slow down anyway lol, and also it downshifts when you go down hills automatically to a HIGHER RPM, around 3-4K rpms.... i live in a hilly city so i would know.

[MM49]

Shifting a AT manually once in a blue moon is fine but on regular bases I don't get it should've just bought a stick.

[dnlwthrn]

Originally Posted by nehonda

Just because someone has been downshifting for years, does not mean its the right thing to do. The less you beat your vehicle the longer it will last. Not only does downshifting increase the stress on your transmission, it wastes gas due to the higher engine revs. Brakes are designed for stopping, not the engine and transmission.

Actually, it doesn't waste gas... When the car starts engine braking it shuts off the injectors. If you have the ability to monitor the signals on the OBDII, you will see that the command to the injectors goes to 0 on decel.

For slow coasting this isn't always the case, however...

[poorboyaccord]

Originally Posted by Mechanic

^this! Use your brakes. Brakes are cheap to repair or replace; transmissions aren't. No exceptions.

[hillstones]

An automatic transmission can only downshift in sequence, when the computer determines that it can downshift, when slowing down, or going down hill and letting off the gas. At freeway speed, when the transmission is in 5th, you can only manually shift it from 5th to 3rd, then 2nd, then 1st. Slamming on the brakes to avoid an object or collision will stop the car much faster than manually downshifting an automatic transmission. Even when you drive a manual transmission, no one downshifts the gears to take evasive action to avoid something in the road. You slam on the brakes and the clutch at the same time when quick evasive action or braking is needed. Manually downshifting an automatic on a daily basis won't give you any benefit, it will just eat up the transmission...and Honda transmissions are lousy to begin with.

MikeyD, since you drive an LX, why didn't you buy the manual transmission if you think it is cool to manually shift an automatic?