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I drive an automatic 2006 Toyota RAV4. When I stop at traffic lights for more than 15-30 secs, I usually put the car in nuetral.

Does this save wear on the transmission or not?

What would you advise?

Steve

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 14 December 2009

Automatic transmissions rely on oil pressure to operate.

Whenever 'D' is selected for example, oil pressure is supplied to either a clutch pack or servo unit to engage the required gear (in this case 1st gear).

When you engage neutral, you drop the oil pressure from that particular component and re-apply it when 'D' is selected.

The constant change in oil pressure is not healthy for the transmission and can eventually cause internal damage or premature wear. Especially if you increase the engine revs before engaging the transmission into drive.

Best to leave it in 'D'

Does your advice also apply to a CVT?

Yes, this would apply to all automatic transmission types.