Is it harmful to accidentally shift into M gear in a new automatic transmission car?
2 Answers
It is not very good for the transmission gears, but as long as you avoid prolonged high-speed driving in low gear, the damage is minimal. Here is some knowledge about the M gear: Introduction: After shifting into M gear, the driver can manually shift up or down to control the gear, which is equivalent to driving a manual transmission car. In addition to providing the driver with the thrill of "manual-automatic" integration, the M gear can also play a significant role in many special road conditions. Hazards: Driving in M gear can cause some damage to the engine. Using M gear is equivalent to low gear with high RPM, which may result in slightly higher fuel consumption. D gear is the normal driving gear, and it is recommended to use D gear for regular driving. M gear is the manual mode of the transmission, and after shifting into M gear, you can manually control the upshifting and downshifting of the transmission.
Last time I rented a new car for a road trip, I accidentally bumped the gear lever into M mode while driving on the highway, which gave me quite a scare. Later, I called a friend who works at a repair shop, and he said most modern automatic transmissions have comprehensive protection programs—they'll automatically upshift if RPM exceeds the threshold and revert to safety mode if there's low-speed lugging, so occasional operational errors are generally harmless. However, frequent incorrect gear engagement might affect transmission fluid temperature, so he advised against habitual manual meddling. After all, new cars need gentle treatment during the break-in period—just immediately shift back to D mode if you make a mistake, no need to panic. Remember to check the owner's manual more often; using S mode for overtaking is safer, while M mode is typically reserved for hill climbing.
