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how much damage can you cause an engine by driving it in 1st gear at 60km/h for about 15 minuets?

Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Asked by Loz on June 18, 2021

I know this sounds crazy but I just bought my first car and just drove it for the first time. It was my first time driving by myself (cause I just got my licence, im in Australia btw) and I was so nervous that I didn’t realise id accidentally put it into 1st gear rather than drive (its an auto and im used to driving a manual).

So I drove it between 40-60km/h for a 15 min drive. It was super loud and when I finally got to my house it smelt super strong of oil. Its a 2008 Subaru Outback and I cant see anything wrong with the engine but im just so nervous and also feel incredibly stupid haha.

What kind of things could I have damaged?

One Answer

It's probably fine provided it was OK when you bought it. Most modern cars, and this one is no exception, have an ECU engine controller which incorporates a MAX rpm limiter. So you are very unlikely to have exceeded the engine's maximum rpm.

I'd check the basics at this point, engine oil level, transmission oil level, coolant level and see if anything is out of the ordinary.

If it all looks good, then chances are that no damage was done. Just be more careful in the future.

Answered by jwh20 on June 18, 2021

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