And every single last automatic. Besides D there is always a couple others, like 1, 2, 3 that are used for getting out of sticky situation or when you need a lot of torque... those also apply for engine braking.
Do I suggest engine braking in an automatic in the general case? No, generally because the torque converter isn't too happy unless it was specifically designed for it. However if you are going down a steep mountain you better downshift even in an automatic and use the engine, or when you get to the bottom your rotors will be glowing red, your brake pads will be disintegrated, your brake fluid will be boiling and your car will be smelled from miles away.
Yes, I have seen people brake all the way down the I-70 coming over the vail pass in Colorado, and it isn't pretty... if it doesn't break everything your rotors are going to be warped completely...
When I was newbie, I didn't downshift and was instead keeping the brakes lightly pressed. After a few mins of this, when I pressed them a little harder to slow down more (at a turn), the pedals sickeningly went way more than they were supposed to. Remembered in a flash what had happend. Thankfully, I was able to pull over and let the brakes cool a bit.
The brake fluid had overheated and turned into a compressible liquid (if you remember your Pascal's Law (iirc), hydraulics can only work if the fluid is nearly incompressible).
Do I suggest engine braking in an automatic in the general case? No, generally because the torque converter isn't too happy unless it was specifically designed for it. However if you are going down a steep mountain you better downshift even in an automatic and use the engine, or when you get to the bottom your rotors will be glowing red, your brake pads will be disintegrated, your brake fluid will be boiling and your car will be smelled from miles away.
Yes, I have seen people brake all the way down the I-70 coming over the vail pass in Colorado, and it isn't pretty... if it doesn't break everything your rotors are going to be warped completely...