I would have passed with seven minors but unfortuantly I got a serious.
This happened because on a uphill gradient on a roundabout, I was about to pull off and I think didn’t take the hand brake off properly and maybe to much
throttle anyway it stalled!
What I actually got failed on is not being able to get it back running again quick enough. The examiner had to tell me to take it out of drive.
This led to a dangerous build up off traffic causing them to get impatient overtake and pull in front of me ect.
At work I drive a brand new DAF automatic and it would not of stalled in that situation.
The truck I was driving on the test was old and has seen better days (kept getting amber warning lights coming on which I was told was nothing to worry about).
So can a automatic truck be stalled? or was I driving a defective truck !
regards.
Yes we often stall our new DAF or MAN trucks going up hills. They don’t change gears fast enough. Plus they are geared for economy rather than performance…very annoying [emoji23]
I’ve just done this on Weds this week. Really steep hill on a tight bend.
I managed to stall it, not sure how if I’m totally honest.
One of our guys has advised me to select manual shift as i approach it next time. Easy done, just press a button. Select a low gear and stay in it till I’ve negotiated the corner.
We go to this same site regularly, so I’ll try that next time.
So the replies confirm that it certainly IS possible to stall an automatic truck.
I’ll firstly explain why. Then I’ll tell you how to avoid it.
WHY? The truck isn’t “auto” though everyone and his dog calls them auto. It is a manual gearbox, but the changing of the gears is done for the driver by means of electronic wizardry. When you go to move off, the clutch starts to engage (in much the same way as you would engage the clutch on a manual). But if, eg, the park brake is not released at the appropriate time, it will stall - - exactly the same as a manual. Some folks will encounter this - normally within the first few hours of driving the vehicle. It’s bad if it happens on test and it’s never happened before as it can clearly be un-nerving.
HOW TO AVOID? Not all “autos” are the same. But many share similar characteristics. Park the vehicle facing up a hill - doesn’t matter how steep. Apply GENTLE pressure to the gas pedal then release the park brake. Even the gentle pressure will normally send a signal to stop the vehicle rolling back when the brake is released. The vehicle will either stand still or creep forward. Either way, gently increase the pressure on the gas pedal and you’re on your way. This is, of course, not what you might expect and you wont trust it until you’ve tried it.
If it doesn’t work, I’m sorry. But it works with every one of my trucks.
As Pete says they are not automatic gearboxes in the sense of a proper automatic gearbox. They are as Pete says manual boxes with an automated gear change so have a clutch or dual clutch just like a manual gearbox does. Hence why it is indeed possible to stall an Auto truck.
They can also stall in an emergency braking situation.
Hit the brakes, engine stalls, release brakes, you’re doing 30mph with no engine and no power steering. Unlike a manual the box is now in neutral, do the wheels won’t restart the engine.
Stop, select neutral, start on the key.
Should not happen, but it can.
.
.
For those that say “avoid emergency braking”, how would they react to an oncoming vehicle on their side of the road?
You’re waiting especially when fully loaded at a roundabout hoping for a space to get going, its a given you’ll have to floor it due to the speed of traffic there, so you apply throttle the clutch engages and you start to move only to find a vehicle come flying round the roundabout at 50mph so you have to stop as suddenly as you started this sometimes results in a stall out as the clutch can’t disengage quickly enough.
Also, again if loaded, you are taking a tight turn, if you leave it in auto the chances are that just as you start to make the turn the vehicle will try to up a gear or two, given the interminable wait while these unfit for purpose automated manuals go about getting the next gear, the friction of your fixed trailer axles on a tight turn causes the vehicle to slow immediately, the next gear is too high for the (too small by far modern) engine to cope with and stalls out, if you arn’t quick enough on the brakes the lean of the trailer tyres will actually drag the vehicle backwards at this point as they try to straighten up.
Once test is passed learn to drive these things in manual mode…assuming an incompetent TM hasn’t specified no manual mode on the box
These auto boxes are fine for parcel work, driving school weights and empty running, they are simply not good enough for max weight work involving anything more than open main road work.
You say it has warning lights on and it’s seen better days. It’s quite possible those lights and its condition make it a bit more prone to stalling, where other trucks wouldn’t. So yes you ‘can’ stall an auto, but did this truck stall because it’s an auto or because it’s a dog?.. still a valid question! I took a trial drive in an artic that had warnings on and wasn’t impressed, it would beep when the warning came up then clear itself for a while then beep again, being told to “ignore it”… well I’d rather learn in a truck that doesn’t do it tbh.
SJB:
You say it has warning lights on and it’s seen better days. It’s quite possible those lights and its condition make it a bit more prone to stalling, where other trucks wouldn’t. So yes you ‘can’ stall an auto, but did this truck stall because it’s an auto or because it’s a dog?.. still a valid question! I took a trial drive in an artic that had warnings on and wasn’t impressed, it would beep when the warning came up then clear itself for a while then beep again, being told to “ignore it”… well I’d rather learn in a truck that doesn’t do it tbh.
tbh so would I , I was the wondering the same thing is it more prone to stalling.
Put it as a learning curve. It was the nerves that got the better of you. As pointed above a little pressure on the pedal and release handbrake. Think of it as a manual when driving off inclines.
