# Changing gears on Automatic Transmission while still moving

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-gears-on-automatic-transmission-while-still-moving/26383>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [February 12, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-gears-on-automatic-transmission-while-still-moving/26383 "2009-02-12T21:40:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![manley1992](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@manley1992](https://community.cartalk.com/u/manley1992)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-gears-on-automatic-transmission-while-still-moving/26383/1 "2009-02-12T21:40:59Z")

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Hello, today while I was backing up in a driveway, I noticed that I changed from “drive” to “reverse” before I was completely stopped, even though I was only going 5 MPH maximum. I just want to know if this truly can be bad or not? My friend told me it is, but since it happened at low speeds, I was just wondering

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**Author:** ![Xebadaih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d07c76/32.png) [@Xebadaih](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Xebadaih)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-gears-on-automatic-transmission-while-still-moving/26383/2 "2009-02-12T22:14:56Z")

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Don’t make a habit of it. It isn’t good.

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**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-gears-on-automatic-transmission-while-still-moving/26383/3 "2009-02-12T22:16:52Z")

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Agree! If you do this once no damage results, but it is a VERY BAD HABIT to get into.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-gears-on-automatic-transmission-while-still-moving/26383/4 "2009-02-12T22:20:32Z")

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Yep, bad. It stresses both your (expensive) transmmission and the (expensive) motor mounts.

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**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-gears-on-automatic-transmission-while-still-moving/26383/5 "2009-02-12T22:21:10Z")

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Yes, it truly can be bad. I wouldn’t worry about this one time, but if you get into this habit you will significantly shorten the life of your car’s transmission. Shift only when the vehicle is at rest.

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-gears-on-automatic-transmission-while-still-moving/26383/6 "2009-02-12T23:03:40Z")

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You owe your friend lunch. He/she was giving you good advice.

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**Author:** ![manley1992](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@manley1992](https://community.cartalk.com/u/manley1992)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/changing-gears-on-automatic-transmission-while-still-moving/26383/7 "2009-02-12T23:15:23Z")

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Ok thank You everyone!