Why sometimes my car slows down going downhill?

Mothra@mander.xyz to No Stupid Questions@lemmy.world – 33 points –

I drive a small automatic car. For the most part, it struggles a bit with steep uphills, and picks up speed when going downhill. That's to be expected.

But then I noticed some downhills actually slow it down. I've noticed during a two-hour motorway trip I often do to visit family, there are some specific downhills, not all, just some, where my car always slows down and I have no idea why.

Ideas?

25

You are viewing a single comment

Are you using cruise control to set the speed? If so, it could be engine braking to keep it at the desired speed. Some cars do this, some don't.

No, no cruise control

Weird. If your RPMs increase during these slow downs then it's from engine braking.

It could be that your car is downshifting for the uphill and then remains in that lower gear for the downhill, causing unintentional engine braking.