Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights

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Mon 2 Sep 2013 13:22
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - avensistourer
My father-in-law drives an Avensis auto. After advice, when at traffic lights and he has to wait he puts the parking brake on, and the gearbox into neutral. Is this right? I have told him it is as he doesn't dazzle the driver behind and I thought it to be less wear on the brakes and gearbox. However, his wife thinks this is vey wrong and he should simply use the footbrake. Any opinions ? All replies would be gratefully received..
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Mon 2 Sep 2013 13:34
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - craig-pd130

I would agree with selecting neutral and putting the parking brake on when stopping for more than a few seconds -- avoids brake-light glare and reduces stress on the gearbox, etc.

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Mon 2 Sep 2013 14:48
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - hillman

This is my practice, but I wouldn't for a moment think that it is the only correct one. I have an old type automatic gearbox with torque converter. The newer type with CVT may be different. Additionally, to put in question other BR's practice starts wars.

At traffic lights I stop and put on the handbrake and leave the gear selector in Drive. When moving off I just release the handbrake and accelerate away. If I'm stopped for a long time at roadworks or a long delay level crossing I might select Neutral or even stop the engine. I was told when I got the car that waggling the gear selector too much wears the mechanism uneccesarily.

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Mon 2 Sep 2013 14:59
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - gordonbennet

Depends on the duration of stopping, up to a minute or two i'll leave it in gear, if its likely to be a longer stay i too will pop it into neutral.

What does the Toyota handbook advise if anything.

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Mon 2 Sep 2013 17:23
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - coopshere
Having been an auto driver for many years I always used to just apply the handbrake for normal hold ups such as traffic lights and junctions. Now with the CVT Avensis, which unfortunately has an electronic parking brake, I just use the footbrake. It's lazy and inconsiderate to those behind I know, but using the electronic contraption is a nuisance and awkward.

Sitting in an auto for short periods with the brake on and in drive is unlikely to cause any problems with the box, no worse than creeping up a steep hill. More likely to have an adverse effect on the handbrake mechanism I would have thought.
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Mon 2 Sep 2013 17:49
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - Happy Blue!

Coopsphere - why not simply apply the electric handbrake with the car in D and then tickle the throttle to move off when lights go green? Its what I do with my auto brake in the S-Max.

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Mon 2 Sep 2013 19:00
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - gordonbennet

The idiotic electric parking brake on the Avensis, ( which works opposite to every normal car i've ever driven including all others fitted with this devilish contraption), is the sole reason there isn't one on our drive now.

Having seen the new Auris has kept a proper parking brake i'm hoping normal service is resumed when the current Avensis is replaced, if they offered a retro fit normal handbrake conversion for sensible cost for existing model that would sway me too.

HB, i would be doing as the previous poster Coopshere and keeping applications of the EPB to a minimum, expect a 4 figure repair cost when the thing wears out.

Edited by gordonbennet on 02/09/2013 at 19:01

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Tue 3 Sep 2013 00:47
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - coopshere

Coopsphere - why not simply apply the electric handbrake with the car in D and then tickle the throttle to move off when lights go green? Its what I do with my auto brake in the S-Max.

Because on the Avensis the parking brake doesn't auto release like it does on your car. I believe it does on the manual gearbox models but for some reason Toyota doesn't allow it on the CVT.
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Mon 2 Sep 2013 18:58
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - Mike H
My father-in-law drives an Avensis auto. After advice, when at traffic lights and he has to wait he puts the parking brake on, and the gearbox into neutral. Is this right? I have told him it is as he doesn't dazzle the driver behind and I thought it to be less wear on the brakes and gearbox. However, his wife thinks this is vey wrong and he should simply use the footbrake. Any opinions ? All replies would be gratefully received..

I asked a similar question on this forum back in 2007 when I got my first auto, but that was tackling the "should I leave it in D or move to N when I have the handbrake on".

To tackle the footbrake vs. handbrake question, IMHO it is only an allowable practice to hold on the footbrake if it's either full daylight, or if the stop is literally a few seconds. High-level brake lights on today's cars mean that, at night, using the footbrake creates an unacceptable glare, and adversely affects night vision.

I was told that keep moving the selector between D and N causes unnecessary wear on the box. Whether it's true or not I have no idea, but I always leave it in D if the stop is only a couple of minutes or so, otherwise N. My boy has done 200,000 miles so it hasn't adversely affected it!

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Mon 2 Sep 2013 19:36
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - unthrottled

I was told that keep moving the selector between D and N causes unnecessary wear on the box.

What is it that 'wears out' by switching between D and N? (that's a genuine question btw)

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Mon 2 Sep 2013 21:05
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - craig-pd130

What is it that 'wears out' by switching between D and N? (that's a genuine question btw)

I wondered this too. Could it wear the brake bands / friction material? I can't imagine the autobox selector mechanism being less robust than, say, the linkage and selectors in a manual box.

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Tue 3 Sep 2013 00:24
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - bathtub tom

What is it that 'wears out' by switching between D and N? (that's a genuine question btw)

The salesman's credibility, if they ever had any!

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Mon 2 Sep 2013 23:44
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - Mike H

I was told that keep moving the selector between D and N causes unnecessary wear on the box.

What is it that 'wears out' by switching between D and N? (that's a genuine question btw)

No idea, just quoting what I was told :-) I suspect that, as craig-pd130 says, it's wear on the brake bands or similar. My box seems to be standing up to the test of time, so it's difficult to say whether there is any truth in it.

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Tue 3 Sep 2013 00:08
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - Smileyman

I have not driven an auto car for a few years, and never driven a CVT auto. If I stop for a few moments I leave my foot on the brake and gear lever in D, but if any longer I use the parking brake and select N - to avoid the wasteful engine creep that autos have.

Funnily enough, I am more likely to keep my right foot on the brake in a manual car unless I need to do a hill start.

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Wed 4 Sep 2013 18:47
Avensis Auto - Automatics at traffic lights - markweatherill

I always shift to N at a stop such as a red light. If I'm approaching a stop, I shift into N for the last few yards...

and then after stopping with the footbrake, put the parking brake on and release the footbrake.

My driving instructor told me that a handbrake is more effective than a footbrake in case of getting hit from behind, too.

Some stop/start systems (I hear) rely on the footbrake being applied and released to stop and start the engine, which is kind of stupid.

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