Query about cars with automatic transmission

[Beefy]

Hi everyone!
Many might find this very unusual but it actually happened.
I own a 2003 civic with manual transmission and i had never driven any automatic transmission equipped car.
now a relative is having an 2004 model civic which is same enginewise and all other things relating to drive but is a prosmatec.
I had to drive that car due to some family reasons and upon seeing the gear lever I was totally clueless what to do?
I mean literally I didnt knew how to operate this auto car
it was marked with D,P,N,R,D3 type marks and I felt truly humilated as I didnt knew how to tackle this situation.
so now I want some help from you guys about driving cars with auto tranny

1:What should be the first step to take while seating yourself in a car with automatic transmision?
2:What is D and D3 Im assuming its drive mode? if it is correct than what is the difference?
3:How to drive on steep hills as auto changes gears at low rpm?
4:How to use brakes as there is no clutch?
5:Are these gears like D,D3,R,N the same in all auto cars or are they only in 2004 shape civic?

I will be truly gratefull if someone explains me these questions in details
Cheers!

[qwertypoiu]

1:What should be the first step to take while seating yourself in a car with automatic transmision?

Press brake shift it to D and release brake, use accelerator and brake when needed(with right foot)

2:What is D and D3 Im assuming its drive mode? if it is correct than what is the difference?

D= All gear D3= max gear you will reach is 3rd

3:How to drive on steep hills as auto changes gears at low rpm?

Put it in D3 or D2 as you feel comfortable with

4:How to use brakes as there is no clutch?

Just press brake with right foot.

5:Are these gears like D,D3,R,N the same in all auto cars or are they only in 2004 shape civic?

Every company car has different types but D and D3 R and N will almost be the same and will function the same. Toyota only has D3 and has overdrive button(if over drive is on it mean you are using only 3 gears overdrive off means total 4 gears.(it depends on gear box most of the ones in pakistan are 4 speed auto.... there are 5speed ones too.

//youtu.be/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTZnM4ZnAjY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTZnM4ZnAjY

[NOneed2speedd]

brother I am not a car expert,./, but jitna mai btaa skta hu, wo mai bata dai ta ho::::
1)release ur Handbrake and then press brake , to change the gears
2)D is the correct driving mode..D3 means that car will lock the gear till 3, but in D it will drive in all gears
3) to drive on steep hills u should put ur gear to 2, so car will lock the car till 2
4)to apply brakes, u will have to just press brakes, nothing else;)
5)these are almost in all car, but in some small cars (Vitz,cuore) it like , P,R,N,D,2,L , but functions r same ..

and yes keep this in mind (P=PARKING ,, R=REVERSE ,, N= NEUTRAL ,, D=DRIVE)

....
I hope I have not missed something or have said something wrong :$

[NOneed2speedd]

qwertypoiu has explained vry well , so I hope u have got ur answer,,,

[imtiz_ahmed]

1:What should be the first step to take while seating yourself in a car with automatic transmision?

The car would be on P, just switch on the car, push the brake pedal and then shift to R to reverse or D to drive (forward)

2:What is D and D3 Im assuming its drive mode? if it is correct than what is the difference?

When the cars is in D it would engage all it gears 1-4 for 7th gen civic and 1-5 for 8th gen. When in D3 it would engage only first 3 gears.

3:How to drive on steep hills as auto changes gears at low rpm?

7th gen civic gives you good control on gear changing, if you keep the accel pressed it shifts at higher RPM and if you keep light foot on accel it will shift up quickly.

4:How to use brakes as there is no clutch?

Just press them... LOL. no need for clutch the cars will not switch off so no worries. if the cars in D when you would lift your foot from brakes it would slowly move forward (very handy in bumper to bumper drive scenario).

5:Are these gears like D,D3,R,N the same in all auto cars or are they only in 2004 shape civic?

Most of them have same, some offer more options to +- sign in triptonic gears to manually shift up and down. But do not worry civics do not have them. 8th gen civic has P R N D D3 2 1 and 7th gen has P R N D D3 2.

Please not that 2 means only 2nd gear would be engaged it will not shift to any other gear, which might be troublesome going uphills with few people on board.

Here is simple tip, for first few weeks just think you car has these options

P to park
R to reverse
N to nuetral
D to drive forward

You can switch off the car in any gear you want but it will only start in N or P. Also if you want to remove the keys from ignition you have to put it in P

[icenfire]

One important thing which other forget to mention is that always park your car in P mode, otherwise your car will not start and you will not be able to take out the keys.

[Beefy]

Thankyou everyone for the overwhelming response!
God bless you all.
After reading the detailed replies some other questions have popped up in my mind.

1:When we put the car in D from P, can we do it without pressing the brake?
if not then do we have to release the brake slowly and softly like we release the clutch in manual cars to avoid the jerks or stalling of the engine or can we just release the brake hardly and will the car move smoothly?
2:If I drive in gear 2 or D3 in 2004 civic on motorway and I push it upto 100km/h than does that means I am driving at very high rpms? because you said that D3 means that it wont move above 3rd gear right?
3:If P and N have the same functions then why do we have two seperate P and N?

[devilz_apprentice]

I think it should have P, R, N, D, D3, 2, and L. L is for the lowest gear, that is the first one. Check to see if 2004 civic comes with it or not. Purpose of L is climb on very steep slope in the fist gear and not shift to the second one.

[qwertypoiu]

1:When we put the car in D from P, can we do it without pressing the brake?
if not then do we have to release the brake slowly and softly like we release the clutch in manual cars to avoid the jerks or stalling of the engine or can we just release the brake hardly and will the car move smoothly?

you will have to press the Brake and then shift, leave the brake as you like there is nothing like a jerk or anything

2:If I drive in gear 2 or D3 in 2004 civic on motorway and I push it upto 100km/h than does that means I am driving at very high rpms? because you said that D3 means that it wont move above 3rd gear right?

If you drive civic in D2 means you will not go above 2nd gear and rpm will be high depending on your speed.

3:If P and N have the same functions then why do we have two seperate P and N?

P is park in P mode car wont more even if you do not pull the hand brake.
N is neutral and you can push your car in that mode....

[Beefy]

Thanks once again.
One silly question: can we shift from P or N to D without pressing brake?
I think it wont be possible becasue I think in auto the brake covers the function of clutch aswell? am I right here?

[afnanshahjahanfayaz]

^ You can shift from N to D and vice versa without pressing the brake but it wrecks the transmission however you cannot shift from P to D without pressing the brake.

[Beefy]

Thankyou everyone for the beautifull replies.
Im now confident about tackling any auto car.
I will share my experience once I get my hands on an auto car now.
Cheers,