Shifting from neutral to reverse while driving..

What is the most damage this can cause my truck? I sometimes like to roll the truck down hill on neutral, but it's always been a fear of mine to accidentally shift it up again to reverse. Anyone ever experience this crucial mistake?

 

Just leave it in drive so you don't have to worry. And it wont do anything anyways, the computer wont let it shift into reverse while your driving forward.

 

I don't do it to save gas, I do it to have more control of the car especially if I want to brake quickly.

 

I was in a Toyota sedan one time and was doing about 90 mph on the frwy and knocked the shifter into reverse and nothing happened.......I would think they make some kind of override that prevents any damage.....

 

You should have the same amount of control whether it be in drive or neutral. Also braking should be the same while coasting in drive or neutral. It's a matter of how quickly you can move your foot.

 

x2, just leave it in drive.

 

So it's probably best if I never slip it onto neutral, correct?

 

its not hurting anything, just unnecessary.

 

This is not entirely accurate. The engine consumes fuel every time the spark plug fires, throttle open or not. It is the same amount of fuel as if it were idling. that being said, if you downshift with the throttle closed, the engine will turn higher revs, so that small amount will be injected more often, thus using more fuel than just idling.

 

why does the scangauge goes to 999.9 mpg when engine braking?

 

Because it is wrong. Seriously, it is wrong. Your fuel economy does go up dramatically, with your foot off the accelerator, but does not go up to infinity. Perhaps the programming doesn't allow it to calculate that small of a a fuel flow.

 

The car salesman said that my 2010 Tacoma will go into neutral if placed in reverse if over 30 MPH but 30 MPH and below it will go into reverse.

 

haha, alright. Makes sense.

 

That may be true, but if they are cut off for too long, the engine will stop running.

 

Do not roll downhill on neutral. You are cutting off the transmission cooling. You will damage it.
edit: It doesn't. My bad. Still bad when you shift into drive tho.

As for shifting Reverse from Drive. While driving the computer will not let you. But when you are making quick shifts from D to R like a lot of people do in winter to get unstuck, doing the rocking manoeuvre manual trannies can do, it can break your auto transmission very fast. Always wait for a full stop before shifting from D to R or vice-versa. You are not driving a manual!

 

You should have asked them to do a demonstration.

 

Uhhhh what? I'd rather have the help from my engine to help me stop versus relying just on the brakes.

 

Well, that is interesting Christian. Thank you for the info.

 

How so? Even when going downhill in San Fransisco!? Not that I live there, but driving there was pretty difficult.

 

my dumb gf put my truck in reverse thinking it would be funny, nothing happened. The truck gets put out of gear and you just coast. I still got pissed at her anyways. When I was trying to shift to neutral on my '78 silverado I got reverse and had to replace the axle. It threw a tooth off the diff gear and through the housing.