I was driving up the M6 the other day, doing about 70mph when I started losing power. I realised after a couple of seconds that the other half had accidently knocked the car into neutral. I knocked it back into Drive and carried on and no damage seemed to have been done.

I am aware though that an automatic car shouldn't be towed above a certain speed and for too long so have I done some damage that may show up at a later date. Like I say there is no obvious problem at the moment although every time I get in the car now I'm imagining that I can smell burning.

Very  very unlikely to have done any damage in my opinion.  Engine and gearbox were up to temperature so it's not like you were being towed.  It's not much different to your throttling off and going in to overrun - in my view.  As for re-engaging drive, that would've been so momentary nothing much could have happened.  I've knocked a DSG into neutral before with no ill effects.  Changed my CRX into neutral while accelerating hard and went straight past all my redlines   Felt pretty stupid, but nothing broke.

 

I'd just monitor it over the next few days, and take it in to get it checked if you remain concerned.

 

Gaz

No damage done, it will be fine.

Burning smell could be a dpf regen?

Thanks guys that's a weight off. The burning smell might just be my imagination thinking that I've done some damage and thinking the worst

I don't think I've experienced a regen yet so don't know about that. The cars done about 64000 and mostly about town with the occasional long run (maybe three times a month) just to get the DPF up to temperature and can't say I've noticed any signs of a regen.

No damage done, the towing reason is due to the gearbox being run around without any lubrication, as you had the engine running, turning the pump and everything spinning normally it will be fine.

Ian

Did your other half suffer any lasting effects?  Do you think it will happen again?  Like said above there will be no damage to the gearbox.

I was driving up the M6 the other day, doing about 70mph when I started losing power. I realised after a couple of seconds that the other half had accidently knocked the car into neutral. I knocked it back into Drive and carried on and no damage seemed to have been done.

I am aware though that an automatic car shouldn't be towed above a certain speed and for too long so have I done some damage that may show up at a later date. Like I say there is no obvious problem at the moment although every time I get in the car now I'm imagining that I can smell burning.

This cannot damage your box. Because the engine was running, the oil pump of the box was also working. Putting the car into neutral won't do any harm at all. All putting the gearbox into neutral does is opening both clutches. No problem at all.

I was driving up the M6 the other day, doing about 70mph when I started losing power. I realised after a couple of seconds that the other half had accidently knocked the car into neutral. I knocked it back into Drive and carried on and no damage seemed to have been done.

I am aware though that an automatic car shouldn't be towed above a certain speed and for too long so have I done some damage that may show up at a later date. Like I say there is no obvious problem at the moment although every time I get in the car now I'm imagining that I can smell burning.

it's ok, no worries, even in the owner manual such situations are mentioned, with same procedure, putting it back into D, but withouth revving the engine when re-engaging D

sorry, double posting

 

Edited 23 March, 201412 yr by Norian

Thanks all, I'm feeling a lot better now and learnt something as well