How to use N number on car correctly?

What is the function of number N?

N will help disconnect the engine and wheels, causing the power to be lost to the wheels when the driver presses the accelerator. This allows the wheels to still rotate freely without mechanical impact but still be able to control the vehicle.

Using N will not harm the engine but will require a lot of braking force to stop the car, if used for a long time will damage the torque converter.

When to use N

The functions of the gear lever related to vehicle operation have been clearly defined with D (Drive) for moving, R (Reverse) for reversing and P (Park) for parking. However, only N (Neutral) is not directly related to any state of the vehicle. When in N, the vehicle is disconnected from the engine to the wheels, meaning the vehicle does not move even though the engine is running.

Based on this structure, car manufacturers recommend that N should only be used in special circumstances, when the engine is no longer connected to the wheels.

First, when the car stalls, you need to push the gear lever to N to be able to pull and push the car easily. If you do not leave it in N, the mechanical linkage will prevent the car from moving if the pushing force is weak, on the contrary, if the force is too strong, it can damage the mechanical parts inside.

If the vehicle stalls while the gear lever is in D, P or R, the driver will not be able to shift to N. At this time, press the Shift Lock button next to the gear lever to move the gear lever.

The second case where you should use N is when the car is stuck with gas. At this time, disconnecting the connection will help the car not to go out of control, so the driver can stop the car.

Cases where the number N should not be used

First, many drivers have the habit of shifting to N to let the car drift when not accelerating, for example when approaching an intersection or going down a long slope. Recent studies show that today's cars are set to idle when stopped, so shifting to N or in D does not affect the car's fuel consumption.

Meanwhile, returning to N makes the car no longer be held down by the engine, increasing the possibility of losing control, especially on steep mountain passes.

When the car loses its brakes, do not use N, but reduce speed by shifting to a lower gear. Vehicles with manual or sport transmissions are very suitable for gradually shifting to a lower gear proactively in this case.

Only use N when the low gear has helped slow the car down to the point of almost stopping. At this point, use N to disconnect the car, the engine will no longer pull the car, combine with the handbrake to stop the car, turn off the engine.

In the case of stopping at a red light, whether using N or not, experts advise that you can leave it in D or N, because the more important thing is that the car must always brake whether in N or D. However, drivers are often subjective when they have returned to N, so they neglect to brake, leading to the car drifting, especially drifting backwards when the road is steep.