How to Use the M Gear in an Automatic Car and When to Use It
3 Answers
Automatic cars use the M gear when overtaking. The method is: when overtaking, push into the M gear and pull back once, the car will gain greater traction. After completing the overtaking, push the gear back to D. Automatic cars with an M gear are manual-automatic models, where the M gear simulates a manual transmission. While driving, you can switch from D gear to M gear, and vice versa. The M gear can also be used when going up or down steep slopes. When going up a steep slope, placing the gear in M will provide stronger power to ensure the climb is completed. When going down a steep slope, using the M gear utilizes the engine to control speed, preventing brake overheating and thermal fade. The M gear in an automatic car is the manual mode of a manual-automatic transmission, which must be a manual-automatic type. The D gear in an automatic car is the automatic driving mode; after shifting to D, you only need to control the accelerator pedal, and the transmission computer will automatically manage the upshifting process. In M manual mode, the transmission will not automatically upshift, requiring manual shifting of the gear lever.
When I first got my car, I didn’t know how to use the M gear either, but after a few trips on winding mountain roads, I figured it out. Simply put, it’s the manual mode—just shift the gear lever to the right from D gear to engage M gear, and the dashboard will display the current gear number. It’s mainly useful in a few scenarios: especially handy during long descents—switch to M1 or M2 gear, and the engine will help slow the car down, reducing the need to constantly brake and avoid overheating. Before climbing steep slopes, manually downshift for more power and to protect the transmission. When overtaking, downshift in advance to raise the RPM for quicker acceleration response. Just remember not to rev into the red zone—modern cars are smart enough to upshift automatically if you hit the redline.
I often drive an automatic transmission on highways and use the M mode frequently. The key is understanding the gear shift logic—pushing the gear lever forward upshifts, while pulling it back downshifts, no clutch needed. On slippery snowy roads, starting in M2 helps prevent wheel spin; in city traffic jams, using M1 reduces gear shift jerks; for quick acceleration, dropping two gears at once responds much faster than flooring the throttle. Once drove a friend’s car on winding mountain roads, controlling speed entirely in M mode—brake pads barely heated up. Beginners should practice on familiar routes first, feeling the power at different gears. Once mastered, it’s more engaging than Drive mode.
