How to Use the +- Gear in Automatic Transmission's D Mode?
2 Answers
The +- gear located to the right of the D mode in an automatic transmission is used to reduce speed and increase the transmission's output torque, commonly applied during downhill or uphill driving, with uphill being more frequent. Within the "D" range, the vehicle automatically shifts from 1st to 2nd gear based on speed and engine RPM. Both AT and CVT transmissions possess this shifting capability. When driving uphill in D mode, the transmission will upshift automatically as the engine RPM increases, but can be manually controlled using the +- gear mode.
The other day I was driving on a mountain road for a long distance and found the plus/minus gear shift next to the D gear particularly useful. For example, during continuous downhill driving, simply pushing the gear lever towards the minus sign to downshift allows the engine's traction to assist in slowing down, reducing the need to constantly press the brake and avoiding overheating of the brake pads. The same applies when overtaking—downshifting in advance increases the RPM and provides stronger power. Pushing it upwards towards the plus sign is for upshifting, giving a sensation similar to manual gear shifting. However, don't worry about it being too complicated because the transmission has protective logic—it won't execute an upshift if the speed is too low, and it will automatically downshift if the RPM is too high. Beginners just need to remember one thing: temporarily using the plus/minus gear shift to control the gear position enhances the driving experience, but for flat roads, simply using D gear is more convenient.
