What do the + and - signs next to the D gear in an automatic transmission mean?
4 Answers
Automatic transmission D gear next to the + and - represents shifting gears up and down. The following is the relevant introduction: 1. Principle explanation: The + and - next to the D gear are the manual mode in the automatic transmission. The so-called manual mode is to add electronic control devices to the automatic transmission, so that the transmission follows the operator's instructions to shift up and down. 2. Scope of application: The "+" sign is the manual transmission upshift, and the "-" sign is the manual transmission downshift. During driving, the gear lever can be moved to the manual mode to shift gears manually. This manual function can be used when you need to force the gear to stay in a low gear during long uphill or downhill driving.
When driving a friend's car before, I noticed the plus and minus signs next to the gear lever—this is actually the manual mode shift function. In D gear, pushing the gear stick toward the plus and minus signs will display the current gear number on the dashboard. Pushing it up shifts to a higher gear, while pulling it down shifts to a lower gear. It’s incredibly useful! Last time, I tried it on a long downhill stretch—dropping to 3rd gear to use engine braking, so I didn’t have to worry about brake pads overheating. In traffic jams, you can also lock it in a lower gear to prevent the transmission from frequently shifting. Just be mindful of matching the speed and RPM—don’t force an upshift at high RPMs, as it can damage the car.
When I first got my license and drove an automatic, I was also curious about the purpose of the plus and minus signs. Simply put, it's a function for manual gear intervention, essentially turning the automatic transmission into a semi-manual mode temporarily. For example, when overtaking, pulling the minus sign to downshift in advance makes the RPM surge instantly for more powerful acceleration; before climbing a steep slope, pressing the minus sign locks the gear in 1-2, giving the car more strength. Some cars require shifting the gear lever sideways into M mode to activate this, while others can use it directly by flicking. After driving for a while, I realized this gives the driver more control, unlike the regular D mode which leaves everything to the computer.
Those two symbols are the manual mode operation keys for the transmission. Last year, I had a profound experience driving on the high-altitude winding mountain roads: continuously descending slopes in just D gear didn't work, and the brakes were pressed until they smoked. Later, I learned to switch to the downshift mode and lock it in 2nd gear, relying on the engine to drag and slow down, which made it much more stable. A mechanic once told me that many drivers never use this function, but in the right scenarios, it can actually protect the transmission. For example, manually shifting to 2nd gear when starting on snowy roads reduces wheel spin, or locking the gear during long gentle slopes for steady speed.
