What are the uses of the S gear in automatic transmission?
2 Answers
Automatic transmission S gear has the following uses: 1. Overtaking: The S gear can instantly provide high torque, allowing the speed to increase in a short time. 2. Steep slopes and long slopes: When going up and down steep and long slopes, using the S gear to downshift can utilize engine braking, reducing reliance solely on the brake and increasing driving safety. 3. Congested roads: The S gear can keep the transmission in a lower gear, reducing wear on the transmission caused by frequent shifting. 4. Carbon deposit removal: The S gear increases engine load and raises internal temperature, helping to clean carbon deposits.
After driving for so many years, I think the S mode in automatic transmission cars is really a great helper. It's mainly used to make the car feel more powerful. When driving in the city, if I want to overtake or climb a hill, I just switch to S mode, and the car delays gear shifting, maintaining high RPMs, making the acceleration feel especially thrilling. For example, once on the highway, there was a slow car ahead, and with S mode, a quick press on the accelerator overtook it instantly—the response was super fast. However, one should be cautious as S mode consumes more fuel and isn't suitable for prolonged use. Also, in rainy or slippery conditions, S mode can reduce wheel spin because the engine braking effect is stronger. Overall, S mode is suitable for those seeking a bit of driving fun or in specific scenarios, but for daily commuting, D mode is more worry-free and cost-effective.
