[Ajmalian]

Hey there....hope all's well with everyone.

Thankfully all is well with my car, however I do have this very unusual weird thing that my A10 '17 ZL1 does...I was wondering if others have it too, if it's normal or should I have it checked...considering it is something I have had since day 1 of ownership of this vehicle (I am the first owner of the car).

Whenever I am at a stop light, and if it is taking long, I tend to shift the car into neutral and wait till the light turns green. So when I anticipate the light soon is going to turn green, I plant my foot on the brake and wait for the light to turn green so I can shift into drive immediately and go. THAT period when I plant my foot on the brake while the car is still in neutral, exactly a second after depressing the brake pedal, I feel a VERY LIGHT nudge, as though somebody very lightly bumped into my rear end.

When I first discovered this, I kept doing it...foot on and off the brake and it nudges every damn time, but every time, a second after I depress the brakes.
In fact, a few times I noticed that if I pushed the brakes and almost immediately shift into drive and the shifting coincides with the nudge I've described above, the car actually jerks pretty hard.

So yeah...the above only happens in neutral....anybody else have this issue...or should I even consider it an issue...??

Would be great if someone could explain what that is....

I look forward to your replies.

[DangerZL1]

I don’t think putting the car in neutral at a stop is a good idea. I’ve seen people do this before and it helps if you have a manual with a stiff clutch, but that’s a of additional wear and tear on the trans. It takes a few moments to engage drive and slows down your response from a light.

[Silverado57]

Originally Posted by DangerZL1

I don’t think putting the car in neutral at a stop is a good idea. I’ve seen people do this before and it helps if you have a manual with a stiff clutch, but that’s a of additional wear and tear on the trans. It takes a few moments to engage drive and slows down your response from a light.

Agreed.
I come from the motorcycle world and it's a good policy to be in gear at a red light in the event that you see that you're about to be rear-ended. At least you may have a chance of avoiding it. YMMV

[Oil Man]

I have experienced what you are describing with my A10 car as well. In neutral. Sometimes upon starting the car.

I haven't figured out a way to replicate it reliably, and it doesn't have me terribly bothered, but I do know what you are describing.

[harrist5683]

I've never heard of someone putting a car with an auto trans into neutral at a stop light.. I can't think of any added benefit (except to rev the engine) and it's honestly kind of dangerous.

I'm not mechanically inclined in any way, but to me it's obvious that you would get feedback when transitioning an automatic car from N to D, especially if you're pressing the accelerator right afterwards.

[Oil Man]

Originally Posted by harrist5683

I've never heard of someone putting a car with an auto trans into neutral at a stop light.. I can't think of any added benefit and it's honestly kind of dangerous.

I'm not mechanically inclined in any way, but to me it's obvious that you would get feedback when transitioning an automatic car from N to D.

I agree with it being unnecessary to idle in neutral at stoplights, but that's not exactly what he's describing. It happens in my car as well, and I leave the car in drive at stoplights.

This thing he is talking about feels exactly like a bump to the driveline, like a car transitioning from Park to Drive, though the car is still in Park or Neutral. But it's not actually exerting force on the driveline. If you are in neutral and it does it, it will not make the car roll.

I feel it periodically in my car, not consistently, but it's unsettling. I feel it in my car while still in Park. It gets your attention.

[nicktechla]

Originally Posted by Oil Man

I have experienced what you are describing with my A10 car as well. In neutral. Sometimes upon starting the car.

I haven't figured out a way to replicate it reliably, and it doesn't have me terribly bothered, but I do know what you are describing.

Mine does the nudge when I start it sometimes.

[TeleZL1]

I have the same thing. I started a thread about it a good while back and there are other threads as well. Mine will even nudge just reving the engine in neutral. I don’t like it, doesn’t seem right but lots of people with experience with the A10 said it’s common.
Then some say do the fluid level check. Others say they have umpteen thousand miles on an A10 and it does it but it’s fine! Who knows....
I’m still going to at least point it out to the dealer. It goes against my 20+ years mechanics but I was never a transmission guy either.

[VAZL1]

Originally Posted by DangerZL1

I don’t think putting the car in neutral at a stop is a good idea. I’ve seen people do this before and it helps if you have a manual with a stiff clutch, but that’s a of additional wear and tear on the trans. It takes a few moments to engage drive and slows down your response from a light.

+1