What Does Neutral Do in a Car?
The neutral gear is not really a gear. Rather, it’s a setting in the gearbox that decouples the engine and transmission. Read on for a complete breakdown.
Written by John Davis
Reviewed by Jaya Anandjit
The neutral gear in your car is not actually a gear at all—instead, it’s a setting in the gearbox that decouples the transmission from the engine and prevents engine power from being sent to the wheels. It allows you to turn your steering wheel freely and allows the vehicle to coast without the engine propelling it forward.
- Neutral is not a gear but a setting that decouples the transmission from the engine.
- The neutral setting allows your car’s wheels to turn, but it prevents engine power from reaching the wheels.
- It’s useful for a variety of situations, including when you’re stuck or when using an automatic car wash.
- Neutral is not a gear but a setting that decouples the transmission from the engine.
- The neutral setting allows your car’s wheels to turn, but it prevents engine power from reaching the wheels.
- It’s useful for a variety of situations, including when you’re stuck or when using an automatic car wash.
What does neutral do in a car?
Whether you drive a manual or automatic vehicle, neutral is a bit different from the other gears in your car. Unlike the reverse and drive gears, neutral is not meant to be used while driving the vehicle. But neutral is also not the same as the park gear, which is intended to keep the car completely motionless.
In fact, neutral is not even a gear. Rather, putting your transmission in the neutral position decouples the engine from the wheels. This position allows your car to coast because the wheels still move freely, unlike the parking gear, which locks the wheels and prevents the vehicle from moving.
MORE: What does a car transmission do?
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversWhat does neutral do in a manual transmission?
What’s the point of the neutral setting in a car with a manual gearbox? Neutral serves the same purpose in vehicles with manual transmissions as in automatic cars—it decouples the engine from the transmission and allows the wheels to spin freely without engine power.
However, there is a slight difference regarding the neutral position in these two types of transmissions: namely, the way
manual and automatic transmission cars
decouple the engine differs. In a manual car, the transmission gears disconnect from the output shaft, which results in zero torque being sent to the wheels. That means that engine power still reaches the transmission, but it is not allowed to exit the transmission and continue to the wheels.
On the other hand, in automatic transmissions (with planetary gear systems), all of the clutch packs open, and disconnection occurs between the clutches.
Why do you need the neutral setting in a manual car that has a clutch pedal? While pressing the clutch pedal and shifting to neutral are similar, they are not the same thing.
When you press the clutch pedal, you disengage the flywheel from the transmission, preventing engine power from reaching the gears—but when your gearbox is in the neutral position, the flywheel remains engaged, and engine power continues to flow into the transmission. The difference is that when you’re in the neutral position, the gears disconnect from the output shaft, which stops the power from traveling to your car’s wheels.
MORE: How to drive stick or manual cars
What does neutral do in an automatic transmission?
As mentioned, neutral serves the same purpose in cars with automatic and manual transmissions. The only difference between the two is the way in which the gearbox engages the neutral setting. In automatic transmissions with sets of planetary gears, disconnection occurs between the clutch packs.
When you enter neutral in an automatic car, pressing the gas pedal will not send power to the wheels. You will, however, remain able to move your steering wheel—unlike when the car is turned off and has no power steering—and the vehicle’s wheels will be able to spin freely.
When should you use the neutral gear?
We now know what neutral does in a car, but you might still be wondering why vehicles have this setting, and when, if ever, you should use it. There are, in fact, many instances in which neutral is extremely valuable. Here are some of the most common scenarios in which you should be using the neutral setting:
- In an automatic car wash. Many drive-through car washes use a conveyor track to pull the vehicle through the wash. For this system to work, your car must be in the neutral position.
- During brake failure. If you’re driving down the road andyour brake pedal fails, putting your car in neutral and using the handbrake can be a safe way to navigate between lanes until you can coast to a stop safely.
- Another mechanical failure. The neutral position can be helpful during mechanical failures, like if your accelerator pedal becomes stuck. In this situation, the brakes may not be enough to stop the vehicle, but putting the gearbox in neutral will allow you to coast until you lose momentum and can stop.
- If your car is stuck. If your car breaks down or gets stuck, putting it in the neutral position allows you to push or pull it while also being able to turn the steering wheel.
- If your vehicle needs to be towed. If you need totow your car, but the tow truck does not have a tow dolly, then you should use the neutral position. This will allow your wheels to move and your steering wheel to turn without using the engine.
When shouldn’t you use the neutral gear?
Just as there are specific times when you should use the neutral gear, there are other times when you most definitely should not use it.
Contrary to the popular myth, you should not use neutral to coast down hills. This does not save fuel, and it can be dangerous, as you have no quick access to engine power if you need it.
When you shift to neutral while driving, you might cause premature brake wear. This happens because you must rely entirely on the brakes to slow your vehicle in the neutral setting—when in gear, you can use a combination of the brakes and engine power to slow down your car. Furthermore, switching to neutral abruptly while moving can also damage your transmission’s torque converter.
Additionally, you should avoid using the neutral position at traffic lights. While it’s not explicitly dangerous to use the neutral setting and your parking brake when sitting at a red light, it does put you at risk of rolling into another vehicle—and you may forget you’re in neutral when it’s time to leave.
MORE: What is a transmission?
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FAQs
When should you put your car in neutral?
You should put your car in neutral in the following situations:
- When you need to use an automatic car wash
- When your brakes fail while driving
- When your accelerator pedal becomes stuck while driving
- When your vehicle is stuck, and you need to push it
- When your car needs to be towed
Is it OK to drive in neutral?
You should not drive in neutral. There are specific times when you should switch to neutral while moving. However, those instances are rare and almost always involve an emergency or mechanical failure.
Instead, avoid shifting into neutral while driving. When you shift to the neutral setting while driving, you will not have access to engine power if you need it, which can be dangerous.
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