Hi
I have a 2005 grand caravan that is about three months old. The manual suggests downshinfting as a way to save the brakes, which I have been doing.
I was wondering if this is in any way harmful to the transmision as I would rather spend a couple of hundred on new brakes as opposed to thousands on a new transmission.
Mike Cardeiro
Brakes are cheap, transmissions not. Unless you are coming down Pike's Peak use the the freakin brakes to slow down. That's what they're for.
so you're saying that it is harmful to the transmission?
Mike Cardeiro
No, I don't believe it "should" be at all. Given the nature of many modern auto trannies though I don't think I would want to test them more than necessary by forcing them into a lower gear for no good reason.
Something to seriously think about. Thanks for your reply Rick.
Mike Cardeiro
I think the general idea the manual has is for descending a long moutain or something where the lower gear can help hold you back so your brakes don't overheat and fail. In the 4-speed overdrive type automatics I've driven, I usually drive in 3rd/plain drive when in a 35mph or slower zone so the engine helps hold things back a bit...a hair less brake usage that way...
Wesley
yeah, say your in the middle of Kentucky or someplace and your on those twisty whindy roads, your constantly going downhill sometimes, thats the only way I would ever use downshifting as a helper to the brakes, gosh it isnt a semi you dont need to do that everyplace. Next thing will be jake-brake
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