What to do if you spin an automatic car?
Discussion
Got my first track day booked but I have a question. I have a BMW F30 330D Automatic.
If I get into a spin what do I do exactly to prevent mechanical damage???
Obviously if the wheels spins backwards that is going to send the inertia through the drivetrain. I have no clutch pedal. So do I have to quickly pop the gear selector into neutral? This seems to be very tricky as I would have my hands on the wheel. Do I apply maximum brake force? Do I disable my ABS somehow so I can lock the wheels if need be?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I don’t want to damage my car if I get into a spin.
Thanks
If I get into a spin what do I do exactly to prevent mechanical damage???
Obviously if the wheels spins backwards that is going to send the inertia through the drivetrain. I have no clutch pedal. So do I have to quickly pop the gear selector into neutral? This seems to be very tricky as I would have my hands on the wheel. Do I apply maximum brake force? Do I disable my ABS somehow so I can lock the wheels if need be?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I don’t want to damage my car if I get into a spin.
Thanks
Brake hard is generally the best advice whenever it’s auto or manual. It reduces the risk of doing anything odd to the drivetrain but also reduces the odds of reaching a barrier.
Of course not spinning is even better and a beemer like that should be pretty controllable as well as having plenty of gadgets to help out if you run out of talent.
Of course not spinning is even better and a beemer like that should be pretty controllable as well as having plenty of gadgets to help out if you run out of talent.
Also not a mechanic, but... you might be better off in an auto. No actual mechanical connection between the wheels and the engine, just a torque converter. Ergo, under normal driving you can slam on the brakes and come to a dead stop, and the engine and transmission is just fine.
If you get in a spin, I would hit the brakes hard, same as I would in a manual. Get all four wheels braking hard. I dont think rolling backwards whilst in drive would be a good idea.
If you get in a spin, I would hit the brakes hard, same as I would in a manual. Get all four wheels braking hard. I dont think rolling backwards whilst in drive would be a good idea.
"In a spin, both feet in" is the mantra for manual. Ideally your two feet are hitting brake and clutch and not catching the throttle. 
It's a good idea to drum that into yourself, because as the OP says, you do not want the engine running backwards.
In an auto IME just hit the brake. However, there are times, running backwards over the grass, toward a barrier, when you might want/need to try and steer. So you want to unlock the wheels. In that instance, I am not sure if or how the sensors on the car would be working to stop any rearward rotation of the wheels transmitting through the drivetrain.
It's a good idea to drum that into yourself, because as the OP says, you do not want the engine running backwards.
In an auto IME just hit the brake. However, there are times, running backwards over the grass, toward a barrier, when you might want/need to try and steer. So you want to unlock the wheels. In that instance, I am not sure if or how the sensors on the car would be working to stop any rearward rotation of the wheels transmitting through the drivetrain.
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