In D or R mode, the only control is the brake pedal. The default engine speed is kept at low revs such that you can manoevre the car e.g. in tight spaces. But what if a fault the engine management system sends the the engine to 4000 rpm in P mode before you start, and not noticing this, you put it into D or R mode, and if it's a big engine. Then no amount of foot or hand brake will hold the car back; it just flies into the wall and crashes. Always watch the rev counter before putting into D or R.

I'm not always the most observant person in the world, but I really do think that I would notice the engine revving at 4000 rpm in neutral or P.

Is automatic dangerous?

Jul 19, 2014 84 Replies

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Dave Plowman (News) 11 years ago

Not on the P6. It would lock the rear wheels with the handbrake. ;-)

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cryptogram 11 years ago

I'd be interested to know whether you were, in fact dead, if you were killed. I've been killed many times but never died of it.

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SteveH 11 years ago

I recall his car has the old Saab 2.3 slant-4 turbo, too - hardly the last word in refinement, so there's really no excuse not to notice it revving to around 2/3 of the red line.

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polygonum 11 years ago

Though when I had Saabs, I was quite impressed by the lack of serious vibration almost regardless of rpm. I'd still have noticed the noise.

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Adrian 11 years ago

Where's the "LIKE" button on this thing?

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